The Carmarthenshire Bat Group covers the unitary authority area of Carmarthenshire. It is affiliated to the Bat Conservation Trust which is the national body representing bat conservation in the UK.

Aims of the Group:

• To advance the protection, conservation and welfare of bats, their roosts, habitat, feeding areas and hibernacula in Carmarthenshire.
• To educate the public and the Group’s members in all matters related to bats, including the provision of literature.
• To promote the training of members for licensing as volunteer bat workers.

Bats of the Carmarthenshire

Carmarthenshire is a county with a variety of habitats, an outstanding coast with sand dunes, salt marsh and mud flats, quiet estuaries, watercourses, steep wooded valleys and rugged uplands with caves. Throughout much of the rest of the county there is a patchwork of woodlands and fields, bounded by hedges and banks.  All these are valuable habitats for bats. There many old buildings, barns and old and veteran trees within the landscape that have provided valuable roost sites over the years.

Today many of our natural habitats are in decline, which has caused a decline in many of our bat species.

Relatively little recording of bats has been undertaken in Carmarthenshire however the following is a description based on our best available information. 

All photos are courtesy of Bat Conservation Trust and the photographers who have kindly allowed BCT permission to use them.

Horseshoe bats –  Greater horseshoes are probably wide spread but in low numbers being  mainly restricted to the southern half of the county but they are also occur all the way up the Towy valley to at least Llandovery and at  Dolaucothi. Lesser horseshoes have a more restricted distribution but they are also the most secretive and most easily overlooked.  The cave systems especially those associated with the limestone ridge are important hibernation sites as are some of the old mineral workings.

Pipistrelles – common and soprano pipistrelle are common and widely distributed.  No confirmed records of Narthusius pipistrelle but there are possible records for hibernation sites on the Black Mountain.

Brown long-eared – common and widespread

Noctule – common and widespread

Daubenton’s, Natterer’s, Whiskered, Brandt’s – widespread but almost certainly locally common.

Barbestelle – probably occur in the larger and more mature and diverse steep sided valley woods  but no confirmed records

Serotine – scattered unconfirmed records from the Llanelli area and also from Llandeilo and Aberglasney area.

Bechstein’s – no records

Leislers - almost certainly not present although a recording of a Leislers from the Pendine  area was made many years ago. 

Grey long-eared - almost certainly not present