Bats & Lighting

Guidance Notes for:

Planners, engineers, architects and developers
December 2010

Bat Conservation Ireland www.batconservationireland.org [email protected]

Bats & Lighting Recognising potential roosting sites for bats

Lighting has increased dramatically over the last It is often difficult to tell if a structure is used as a
number of years as a result of many new bat roost because these small mammals can tuck
developments. This includes aesthetic lighting of themselves away out of sight. Therefore, it is
bridges, monuments and buildings, flood lighting of important to be vigilant for suitable roosting sites
sports grounds, street and road lighting and security and for more obvious signs of occupation such as
lighting of urban and rural areas to name but a few. bat droppings.
Lighting can impact on bats’ roosting sites, commuting
routes and foraging areas. This leaflet aims to Irish bats are very small and a crevice greater than
provide, for planners, lighting engineers, lighting 50mm deep and 12mm wide can be used as a bat
designers and developers, information on the roost or allow the bat to access a larger chamber
potential impacts of lighting on bats and how this can
within the structure behind the crevice.
be reduced.

Important roosting sites

•Attics of buildings – old and modern

•Underground structures e.g. caves and ice houses This 3D shape is 12mm high/wide and 50mm long, illustrating the
dimensions of a suitable crevice for a single bat to use as a roost or
•Crevices in stone work of old and modern bridges access a roost.

•Tree holes, split limbs and dead wood of mature trees

Other evidence to be aware of includes grease
especially adjacent to water courses, in woodland and
parkland
stains around access holes. As bats squeeze
themselves through crevices oil from their fur can
•Crevices in stone work of sluice gates, pumping leave dark polished surfaces indicating bat usage.
stations and tidal barrages Daubenton’s bat foraging over water (© Frank Greenaway) In addition, the lack of cobwebs around a crevice
•Trees with heavy ivy growth adjacent to water courses, can also indicate that it is used by bats.
Daubenton’s bat (illustrated in the photograph above), a
along hedgerows and in woodland and parkland member of the Myotis family group, commutes and forages
Important foraging areas along dark wildlife corridors such as rivers and
consequently shies away from highly illuminated sections. Crevices should be
•Watercourses, especially those lined with hedgerows Therefore, an illuminated structure such as a bridge can checked by using a
and treelines impede their flight to suitable feeding areas. high powered narrow
Consideration should be given to ensure that dark wildlife beam torch light or
•Watercourses flowing through wooded areas
corridors remain in the landscape to allow bats and other an endoscope. A
•Hedgerows and treelines wildlife (e.g. otters) to travel safely to and from feeding single soprano
habitats. pipistrelle was found
•Extensively managed and grazed pasture in this crevice.
•Woodland and parkland
 Bats and the Law
Ireland’s bat fauna
Ireland’s batbat fauna
faunais iscomprised
comprised of ten
of species,
nine resident
which Due to increasing pressure on bat populations, all
forms oneforming
species, third ofoneIreland
third land
of Ireland’s
mammals. land
Nine
mammals.
species Irish bat species are protected by the 1976 Wildlife
are vesper
Eight speciesbats are andvesperall vespertilionid
bats and all vespertilionid
bats have a Act and 2000 Amendment. They are also protected
tragushave
bats (cartilaginous
a tragusstructure
(cartilaginous
found inside
structure
the pinnea
found under the EU Habitats Directive.
of the ear)
inside the and
pinnaare of distributed
the ear).throughout
Vesper thebatscountry.
are
Nathuius’ pipistrelle
distributed throughout and the Brandt’s
country.
bat are Nathusius’
recent Consequently, it is a criminal offence to
editions to isthea list.
pipistrelle recent addition to the Irish list while the
Brandt’s bat is a potential tenth species. • Intentionally kill, injure or take a bat
Common pipistrelle Pipistrellus pipistrellus • Possess or control any live specimen or
Common pipistrelle Pipistrellus pipistrellus anything derived from a bat
Soprano pipistrelle Pipistrellus pygmaeus
Soprano pipistrelle Pipistrellus pygmaeus • Wilfully interfere with any structure or place
Nathusius’ pipistrelle Pipistrellus nathusii used for breeding or resting by a bat
Nathusius’ pipistrelle Pipistrellus nathusii • Wilfully interfere with a bat while it is
Leisler’s bat Nyctalus leisleri
Leisler’s bat Nyctalus leisleri occupying a structure or place which it uses
Brown long-eared bat Plecotus auritus for that purpose
Brown long-eared bat Plecotus auritus Above: Natterer’s bat (Photo: Tina Aughney).
Natterer’s bat Myotis nattererii
This is a brief summary of the main points of the law.
Natterer’s bat Myotis nattereri Below: Daubenton’s bat (Photo: Tina Aughney).
Whiskered bat Myotis mystacinus Further details of the Wildlife Act and the Habitats
Whiskered bat Myotis mystacinus Directive may be found on www.npws.ie.
Brandt’s bat Myotis brandti
Brandt’s bat Myotis brandtii More information about bats and their conservation can be sourced
Daubenton’s bat Myotis daubentoni from the following documents:
Daubenton’s bat Myotis daubentonii
The tenth species, the lesser horseshoe bat Rhinolophus McAney, K. (2006) A conservation plan for Irish Vesper bats. Irish
hipposideros,
The ninth resident
belongs species,
to thetheRhinolophids
lesser horseshoe
and hasbat a Wildlife Manuals No. 25. National Parks & Wildlife Service, DoEHLG.
www.npws.ie/en/PublicationLiterature/IrishWidlifeManuals
complex nose
Rhinolophus hipposideros,
leaf structure.
belongsThis
to thespecies
Rhinolophidea
current
distribution
and has a complex
is confined nosetoleaf
the structure.
western six This counties:
species’ Kelleher, C. & Marnell, F (2006) Bat mitigation guidelines for Ireland,
Mayo, Galway,
current distributionClare,
is confined
Limerick,toKerry
the western
and Cork. counties Irish Wildlife Manuals No. 25. National Parks & Wildlife Service,
of: Mayo, Galway, Clare, Limerick, Kerry and Cork. DoEHLG. www.npws.ie/en/PublicationLiterature/IrishWidlifeManuals
Bats are a species rich group widely distributed
throughout
Bats are widely
a range distributed
of habitatsthroughout
in the Irishalandscape.
range of Marnell, F. & Presetnik, P. (2009) Protection of Overground roosts for
bats, EUROBATS Publication Series No. 4.
Due to their
habitats in thereliance
Irish landscape.
on insectDue populations,
to their reliance
specialist
on www.eurobats.org/publications/publications_series.htm
feedingpopulations,
insect behaviour and specialist
habitatfeeding
requirements,
behaviour
they and
are
considered
habitat requirements,
to be valuable theyenvironmental
are considered indicators
to be
of Mitchell-Jones, A.J. & A. P. McLeish [Eds.] (2004) Bat Worker’s Manual,
valuable 3rd Edition. Joint Nature Conservation Committee Peterborough.
the wider environmental
countryside. indicators of the state and
condition of the wider countryside.
If a bat is encountered during operations,
please stop works and contact your local
NPWS Conservation Ranger. The national
helpline number is 1800 405 000.
 Below: Lesser horseshoe bat, an Annex II species
Bat Vision and Lighting Impacts
How can planning influence lighting strategies?
Contrary to common belief, bats are not blind. While
bats tend to rely on a type of sonar, known as Planning conditions in relation to lighting are an
echolocation, for orientation and hunting during the important way for planning authorities to influence
hours of darkness, vision is still an important sense for the design of light installations and potentially
bats. When bats emerge from roosts early in the mitigate their impacts. Such conditions could
evening, they tend not to echolocate but rely on include:
eyesight to fly from the roost to adjoining treelines or
hedgerows. Various studies have shown that bats’ 1. Hours of illumination – provide some hours of
eyesight works best in dim light conditions. darkness.
2. Light levels – install lighting that meets the
Where there is too much luminance, bats’ vision can be lowest light levels permitted under health and
reduced resulting in disorientation. While light sensitivity safety. Specification and colour of light
treatments Use low-pressure sodium lights
varies between species, bats tend to have a higher
instead of high-pressure sodium lights or
tolerance for red visual light than white light. Short mercury lamps. If mercury lamps are to be
wave frequency (UV) light is most disturbing for bats. used, fit them with UV filters.
Bat species such as the lesser horseshoe bat (above)
This is due to the fact that bats have a higher 3. Column heights of lamp posts – reduce the
regularly light sample before leaving the roost to feed at amount of light spillage where it is not needed
proportion of rods in their retina compared to cones.
The rods allow greater absorption of light in dim night time. Light sampling is where the bat flies in and out of by restricting the height of lamp columns (e.g.
conditions. the exit point to determine the light levels. The bat will not <8m where possible).
fully leave the roost until the light levels are low enough for 4. Type of lamps and luminaries to be installed –
Too much luminance at bat roosts may cause bats to directional lighting means lighting is directed
it to leave the roost safely. This process of light sampling
to where it is needed and thus prevent light
desert a roost. Light falling on a roost exit point can emphasises the need to strictly control lighting being used spillage and light pollution.
delay bats from emerging and miss peak levels of insect around bat roosts. Delayed emergence can occur as a result 5. Using modern light technology that restricts
activity at dusk. Any delays of emergence can reduce of lighting and this can impact on the bats by reducing the the horizontal plane of the luminaries thereby
feeding periods. time available for feeding. directing the lighting to where required (e.g.
HiLux Projectors). Use luminaries that ensure
Lighting can also disturb bats’ feeding behaviour. Many light is not directed at an angle greater than
Each species of bat has an optimum level of light for
night flying insects are attracted to lights especially 70o from the vertical plane (i.e. using flat
those lamps that emit UV light. A single source of light emergence. For example, Daubenton’s bats prefer a light glass protector).
in a dark area can cause local insect populations to level of less than 1 lux. To put this in perspective, 0.2 lux
congregate in concentrations around the light source. level is equivalent to moonlight. While all bat species have
a low tolerance for light levels, the following bat species In addition, attention could also be given to:
While some Irish bat species such as Leisler’s bats will
opportunistically feed on such insect gatherings, the are particularly sensitive to elevated light levels: brown
long-eared bat, whiskered bat, Natterer’s bat, Daubenton’s 1. Sensor lighting to reduce energy wastage
majority of Irish bat species are too sensitive to such
2. Use of planting to reduce impacts of
light sources and suffer from insect populations being bat and lesser horseshoe bat.
lighting
reduced in traditional feeding areas. In addition, 3. Use of demountable columns
artificial lighting can increase the chances of bats being 4. Screening to reduce impacts of lighting
preyed on. Lighting can be particularly harmful to bat 5. Assessment of lighting regime after
populations along river corridors, woodland edges, installation
along hedgerows and treelines and at lake edges. 6. Greater use of the solar clock to control
timing of lighting
Types of light
Good Practice for minimising light impacts on bats
Low Pressure Sodium (SOX) – this light
(typically orange light) is emitted at a single
wavelength with a very low amount of UV.
Therefore very few insects are attracted to this
light source and it has a minimal effect on Bat Roosts Foraging and Commuting
bats.

High Pressure Sodium (SON) – this light

(typically pinkish-yellow light) is emitted over a
slightly broader wavelength spectrum. It is a
more intense light so attracts more insects and
No direct illumination Avoid lighting along rivers,
has a greater impact on bats. especially on exit points lakes and canals.
Metal Halide & Mercury vapour– these are
white light sources that emits light at
wavelengths across the colour spectrum and
emits high levels of UV. These light types can
Position lights to avoid Avoid lighting along
attract high levels of insects and because it is a sensitive areas important commuting routes.
close match to daylight has a greater impact
on bats. Metal halide typically comes in three
types: Quartz arc tube; Ceramic arc tube and
Cosmo ceramic. Use low pressure sodium or Avoid the use of mercury or
Luminary (Light) accessories high-pressure sodium lights metal halide lamps

Shields – these can be mounted at the front or

back of luminaire.
Avoid the use of mercury or Minimise light spills using
Masking – by painting a section of the
luminaire protectors, light will be blocked from metal halide lamps shields, masking & louvres
penetrating through.

Louvres – these can be either internal or

external rows of slates angled to block light in Restrict lights the timing of Keep light columns as low as
a certain direction.
lights to avoid bat activity possible
A study on the above accessories was
undertaken by Emery (2008) and concluded
that shielding and masking can reduce light
spillage by as much as 40%. Internal and
external louvres are more effective than
Restrict lights to ensure that Restrict lights to ensure that
shields and masking and can, in fact, reduce there are dark areas there are dark hours
light spillage by as much as 97%.

Emery, M. (2008) The effect of street lighting on

bats. UBRIS Lighting Ltd. Unpublished.
 Light Modelling
Vertical Luminance – employing modern
technology to minimise light spill and subsequent
glare to the neighbouring environment. Light can
be restricted and directed to below the horizontal
plane, preferably at an angle of less than 70o.

Sport Flood Lighting

The use of asymmetric beam floodlights, as
opposed to symmetric ones, orientated so that the
glass of the luminaries is positioned parallel to the
ground is recommended. This will ensure that the Modelling the dispersal of light (luminance) pre-
light is cast in a downward direction and avoids and post development sites can help to determine
horizontal spillage of the light. where dark zones are required for bat activity
locations. In relation ot the artifical colours
General recommendations for lighting of Sport
expressed in the above illustration, the darker
Playing Pitches:
colours reflect areas with less light as opposed to
1. Lighting levels of 3 Lux or less where feasible. colour gradient towards red and white reflecting
areas of high luminance.
2. Buffer zone of 50m between areas requiring
lighting (e.g. flood lights, pedestrian lights and car
parks) and habitats (e.g. treelines, hedgerows and This leaflet was produce by Bat Conservation
woodland). Ireland with the assistance of grant funding
Above: Example of directional lighting (Photo: Faith Wilson) under the Biodiversity 2010 Grant through the
3. No lighting adjacent to rivers or lakes. Irish Environmental Network (IEN).

4. Use lighting with no UV component.

Bibliography
UV light component of Mercury or metal Bat Conservation Ireland welcomes any
Stone, E. L., Jones, G. And Harris, S. (2009) Street halide lights can attract up to eight times comments on this leaflet. Please send them to
lights disturbs commuting bats. Current Biology,19,1-5. [email protected]. Leaflets will
more insects than high pressure sodium be reviewed and updated as required.
Fure, A. (2006) Bats and Lighting. The London lights. This can lead to a transfer of insect
Naturalist, No. 85. populations from the surrounding habitats Bat Conservation Ireland is a registered charity,
No. 13016.
BCT (2008) Bats and Lighting in the UK. Bats and the to the light source.
Built Environment Series. www.batconservationireland.org