There are 18 native UK bat species, all of which eat invertebrates. The smallest UK bats, such as the pipistrelle weighing 3-8g can eat a huge number of midges per night (up to 300 midges in one hour!).
All our UK bats have suffered severe declines in numbers over the last century. Cardiff provides a home to over half of these species, including rare bats such as the Lesser Horseshoe.
In the UK, all bat species and their roosts are legally protected, by both domestic and international legislation.
If you see bats flying around or you have them on your property, please tell us about it and log your sighting with South East Wales Biodiversity Records Centre (SEWBReC). These records are vital in order for us to learn about their behaviour, understand how they use the environment and protect them for the future.
