A collection of comical illustrations of the different bat species found in the Lost Woods has been created by Michael Blencowe, the project’s Senior Community Development Worker.

Michael, who is also an author and wildlife guide, wanted to help people differentiate between the species of bats found in southeast England and Sussex woodlands.  He came up with these illustrations to bring to life the behaviours of the bats that live in the trees of the Lost Woods.

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Brown long-eared bats

Michael says: "Brown Long-eared bats have huge ears. They don't need to echolocate. They can just hear insects moving around as their hearing is so good."

Common and soprano pipistrelle bats

Michael says: "Common & Soprano Pipistrelles look similar - but the Soprano echolocates at a higher frequency."

Daubenton’s bats

Michael says: "Daubenton's is a bat that catches insects from the surface of ponds and is also called the water bat."

Noctule bats

Michael says: "Noctules live in old woodpecker holes in trees and call from the tree to draw in females - they end up with a whole group of female Noctules."

Serotine bats

Michael says: "Serotines make an off-beat echolocation call that sounds like a jazz drummer."

Barbastelle bats

Michael says: "Barbastelles are 'the stealth bat'. Very sneaky. They echolocate quietly and sneak up on tiny moths."

Greater horseshoe bats

Michael says: "Greater Horseshoe Bats have just been discovered in south east England near Petworth for the first time in 100 years. Their echolocation calls come from their noses, not their mouths like all the other bats."

Myotis bats

Michael says: "Myotis bats, well there's a few of them and they all look alike.

"Bit of a confusing group of a few different species and some of these are rare, all very hard to tell apart."