Microbats in a Driza-Bone

Article by Danielle Outram, conservation partnerships officer, Sunshine Coast Council

You may have heard of Bats in the Belfry, but what about Bats in the Driza-Bone?

A small colony of Microbats (Scotoropens sp.) were found on the verandah of a Land for Wildlife (LFW) property at Belli Park roosting in the coat. Luckily the residents were happy to look out for them by cordoning off that part of the verandah to stop people and dogs from disturbing them.

Bat expert, carer and researcher Sarah Elizabeth Curran stressed the importance of getting help from a vaccinated bat carer in these situations to assess the health of the microbat/s and to assist in relocation. Care should be taken to avoid disturbing any bats when suckling young. They are likely to be present in the summer months, or during winter when food abundance is low, and always after dark to avoid predation.

Luckily these microbats have been made very welcome at this LFW property and there will be no need for relocation at this stage. You can help with habitat shortages by learning to live alongside microbats wherever possible, just like these landholders. After all they do provide unmatched pest control services for free!