BATS in Buckfastleigh need surveying and volunteers are needed to help on Monday.

Static detectors need to be placed in the countryside around Buckfastleigh to pick up on the bats’ activities.

Volunteers can meet at Buckfastleigh Town Hall anytime between 4pm and 6.30pm and be given recording equipment to put out in specified locations in the surrounding countryside. No experience is necessary as full instructions will be given.

The survey is part of the Devon greater horseshoe bat project, a five-year partnership project of 19 organisations led by Devon Wildlife Trust and supported by the National Lottery through the Heritage Lottery Fund, as well as other funders.

The project is working closely with the University of Exeter to run a series of surveys each year looking at the landscapes around the bats’ maternity roosts.

These studies will look at what habitats the bats use in the landscape, including hedgerows, rivers and woodland edges.

Project manager Ed Parr Ferris said: ‘Volunteers are critical to help us carry out these surveys in Buckfastleigh to help build a detailed understanding of how greater horseshoe bats use the countryside. This will ensure we can manage our countryside in the best way for bats.’

On the Devon greater horseshoe bat website you can view amazing live footage of a greater horseshoe bat roost.

The bats are very busy in the roost at this time of year, as the young pups are being born and the mums need to hunt for moths and beetles so they are able to produce plenty of milk for their young.

For full details see http://devonbatproject.org/monday-25th-july-buckfastleigh-bat-blitz/ where you can see details of other surveys, including another one in Buckfastleigh on September 5.