The Ecology Co-op

This week the team has been trapping and radiotracking bats for one of our projects in Sussex. The site supports a healthy range of bat species, including most notably bechsteins (Myotis bechsteinii)and alcathoe (M. alcathoe)🦇 There is 18 species of bat in the UK, some of which have quite particular habitat requirements and fill different ecological niches. I put this clip together to illustrate a clear difference between two species - the brown long-eared bat (Plecotus auritus) and the Whiskered bat (Myotis mystacinus) which we filmed on release after processing. Brown long-eared bats are a slower flying species that I’d liken to a harrier jump jet! ✈️ It can hover in the air and has a more butterfly like flight at times. This hovering ability means it is great at ‘gleaning’ prey from surfaces and I have even seen some incredible footage of a brown long-eared bat plucking a spider from the middle of its web! You can see in the clip it has broad wings and is able to take an upwards trajectory from take-off with relative ease. I have witnessed these bats pouncing on moths on the ground near to moth traps and then taking off with ease. The whiskered bat is much smaller and is a faster flying bat that is within a group of very similar species called the ‘small myotis’ bats. I guess continuing with the aircraft analogy it’s like a Eurofighter Typhoon (I’m not a warplane buff, honest). The Whiskered bats wings are narrower and it does not have the hovering ability the brown long-eared bat has, requiring a bit of speed to generate upwards flight (like most planes!). In the second clip you can see this bat falls on take-off to create the speed it needs. This bat would never choose to land on the ground in its hunt for prey. So with this simple illustration hopefully it’s clear that bats aren’t just ‘bats’. They are a very diverse group with a range of particular habitat and prey requirements. Without them we would lose one of natures most important regulators of ecosystems, keeping in check populations of flies, midges, mosquitoes, moths, beetles and even spiders.

It’s bat trapping week at the Co-op! 🦇 The summer brings many late nights for ecologists, mostly thanks to bats. When you get moments like these, it reminds you how much fun late night work can be. Here we have a brown long eared bat taking off after being caught in one of the harp traps. #EcologyCoop #Bats #BatTrapping #Ecology #Ecologist #ProtectedSpecies

Our team had an incredible day of professional development and training with Julie Williams MSc. (nee Walls) on Tuesday - covering all things Line Management. Thanks to Julie for such an enjoyable day! #Ecologycoop #ProfessionalDevelopment

The Big Butterfly Count 2024 is officially here! 🦋 Butterflies are indicators of a healthy natural environment - with half of Britain’s butterfly species already threatened or near threatened with extinction, it’s never been more important to understand how our insects are responding to the changing climate and to take action to protect them. 💚 You can help butterflies and moths today by downloading our free app and ID guide 👉 www.bigbutterflycount.org We want to make 2024 the biggest ever, so please get your friends and family involved! 🤝

The #BigButterflyCount starts today! 🦋 Habitat destruction and climate change have caused a catastrophic decline in butterfly numbers, with a staggering 80% decrease since the 1970s. Help Butterfly Conservation by spending 15 minutes counting butterflies between Friday 12 July and Sunday 4 August, before sharing your sightings via https://lnkd.in/e6gEUn4 Pictured are just a few of many #butterflies the #ecologycoop team have spotted - including the Wood White, Swallowtail, Common Blue and Small Copper 🦋

We are hiring! The Ecology Co-op is seeking to expand its team by recruiting a GIS technician. An interest in ecology generally would be welcome, but not at all essential. We will be rolling out an advert shortly, but please do get in touch if you would like to know more. [email protected] Many thanks!

This beautiful flower is a Marsh Helleborine (Epipactis palustris) 🌸 Whilst restricted in its distribution, requiring habitat that is often submerged with water, but dry through the summer, it can be found in good numbers in some dune slacks and fen habitats. The genus name for this plant ‘Epipactis’ is actually an Ancient Greek name of a plant said to be capable of curdling milk, whilst the species name ‘palustris’ literally means ‘of marshes’. #Ecology #EcologyCoop #Botany #Conservation

While we often think of birds and mammals when it comes to wildlife gardening, the UK's six species of reptile often get overlooked 🦎🐍 Though often shy and elusive, #reptiles can thrive in our gardens - basking in sunny rockeries and log piles, and seeking shade in leaf piles or compost heaps 🍂 Learn how to make your #garden more reptile-friendly via link in comments 👇 #Ecology #EcologyCoop #WildlifeConservation #GardenTips

Ecologist Owen Crawshaw spotted this magnificent Stag Beetle in his garden this week 🔍🦟🦌 Stag beetles are elusive creatures, spending most of their lives underground and only emerging for a few weeks each summer to find a mate. You might spot one in wooded areas or gardens with plenty of deadwood 🪵 If you're lucky enough to spot a stag beetle, please report your sighting to the People's Trust for Endangered Species via ptes.org/gsh #StagBeetle #Entomology #Conservation #PTES #GreatStagHunt

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