For many years, members of the Burke Mountain Naturalists have been monitoring local bat populations.
One of the best known local roosting sites for bats is in and around the historic buildings at Colony Farm Regional Park.
In the summer of 2015, according to a BMN press release, its volunteers counted about 500 bats flying out of an attic at dusk to spend the night hunting mosquitoes and other insects. But surveys last June revealed only five bats exiting the same attic.
It was thought that predators like raccoons and mink had found ways into the attic and had frightened off the bats. Fears for the population’s welfare were calmed when the 500 bats were located a month later in several large bat boxes that BMN had installed years ago in the park that had only ever seen limited use.
The story of losing and then finding the bats, and the plans for their future, is the topic of next Tuesday’s meeting of the Burke Mountain Naturalists.
BMN member John Saremba will give a slide presentation entitled “Going to Bat for Our Special Flying Friends!” He will share insights regarding this ecologically significant wildlife species along with information about the BMN bat monitoring team’s efforts to protect them.
The Nov. 8 meeting will be held at 7:30 p.m. in the hall of Como Lake United Church, located on the corner of Marmont Street and King Albert Avenue in Coquitlam. Everyone is welcome to attend and there is no charge.
For more information, call 604-461-3864 or visit www.bmn.bc.ca.
