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Can anyone explain to me why bats would only appear to visit my neighbours garden? I live right in the middle of a housing estate but every evening bats turn up to do laps of the garden, seemingly staying within their fence line. I've no idea where they come from or what might attract them. Fascinating to watch though.
Plants or lawn that host bugs such as months?
They maybe roost in his house, and there's enough food / foraging thereabouts. Or they will move on during the night to other areas.
Lawn could explain it. The house has been rented out to a company and until recently was occupied by 4 blokes who mowed the lawn about once a year-I guess long grass makes for a lot of insects. I've wondered about whether they roost there but never seen sign of them going into roof.
There’s obviously something there that attracts insects at night, worth having a sneaky nose around to see what might be growing there to attract insects; maybe they have unsavoury habits that attract lots of flies that in turn attract the bats. 😉
Are these your neighbours ?
Some bat species tend to circle a bit when they first emerge and so there may be a summer roost near by. Bats also commute to feeding areas along vegetation corridors like hedges and tree lines. If you have 1.5hrs or so free one evening, a comfy chair and a good supply of cider you could do a simple emergence survey (a bat detector would help). Look for likely spots such as loose tiles, hanging tiles, climbing ivy, old trees or other crevices on the warmer sides of the house then sit down 0.5hrs before sunset and wait to see what you get. The majority will be out after sunset + 1hr. Bats love our garden because we back onto a wood, have damp areas and an array of insect friendly plants. Next door have a fairly sterile lawn and so see less (although bats do race around and between both houses as street lights are a good bat feeding zone). The various bat charities have really good websites with loads of information and I think the RHS have a garden for bats guide.
Do your neighbours have pond?
Have you got a fake lawn? 😉
I think bubs has it.
Done a few bat surveys and the do congregate in bug bunches before emerging and going back in. Can be quite a site if you can get a pale light sky in the background.
So unless you actually hang round you won't see them go in.
Also recommend sitting out and watching with a bat detector. When you hear a farty noise that means they caught something
If you get a bat detector get one where you can visibly set the frequency. That and the time in relation to dusk and dawn will tell you the species.
Good info guys thanks. They were right on cue again tonight but just flew in circles before it was too dark to spot them. No pond next door.