Bats

Worldwide there are more than 1100 different species of bats. The smallest is the bumblebee bat and the largest has a wingspan of up to 1.5 meters.

In Denmark there are 17 registered species of bats, and here in Dybdal Forest and in the mines 7 different species have been recorded.

On the attic of our forest cabin lives the common pipistrelle bat. Around the month of June you may occasionally experience pipistrelle bat pups falling down, and Daugbjerg Limestone Mines therefore makes an extra effort to help them. The small pups are given some peace before being placed at a rescue station where the mother later retrieves them.

In the mines there are between 17,000 and 20,000 bats during winter.

Around 75% of them are Daubenton's bats, about 20% are pond bats. In addition we have Brandt's bats, Natterer's bats and brown long-eared bats, and in March 2023 a greater mouse-eared bat was discovered in the mines, making it the 7th recorded species in and around Daugbjerg Limestone Mines.

Bats live in most parts of the world; only Antarctica has no bats. Along the equator and southwards you find the larger fruit bats or flying foxes. These are the ones that can reach a wingspan of 1.5 meters and a weight of up to 3 kg. Microbats like the ones we have in Daugbjerg weigh only a few grams (greater mouse-eared bat around 50 g, Daubenton's bat about 10 grams).

Bats live almost exclusively on insects. Some are specialized hunters that catch crawling insects, but most eat flying insects. Some European species can catch small birds and some species drink blood from cattle.

Bats are fully protected and their habitats must be preserved. Bats are usually completely indifferent to humans. They can react to noise and light, but in Daugbjerg Limestone Mines you have the opportunity to get very close to them. Remember: look, but do not touch.

Approximate times of the year for good observations of bats in the mines:

1/1 to 1/4: high probability of many bats mostly sleeping, with more activity toward the end of the period

1/4 to 1/6: probability of seeing bats both resting and flying in the mines

1/6 to 1/8: occasional bats in the mines, probability is not high

1/8 to 1/10: usually increasing activity in the mines with the most bats toward the end of the period

1/10 to 1/1: high probability of seeing bats, most are now entering hibernation and hiding well

Full protection period: March 16 to May 10 and September 1 to October 31 every year