Beeston Castle in Cheshire is home to a maternity colony of Natterers bats during the summer months. The site also has several other species of bats which use the castle buildings, trees and caves to roost.
A search of the cave during 2010 found 1 hibernating Natterers bat towards the rear of the cave. Bat boxes were fitted into a number of trees at the same time by Cheshire bat group.
A check of the caves in early 2007 found 5 bats hibernating, 1 towards the rear of the cave in the same place as it was discovered last year and 4 others closer to the cave entrance. The bat boxes which were fitted in the trees were also checked. Some droppings were found in a few of the boxes but no hibernating bats. As the boxes are not hibernation boxes this is not really surprising. Bird droppings and nesting materials were found in several of the boxes.
We will return during the summer to check the tree boxes and hopefully get more positive results.