Bat Hole?

[William]

I came across this oak tree today with fire damage and other nasty stuff going on. Does anyone have any suggestions on what has caused the hole in picutre 7, I thought it may be bats?

Cheers.

[David Humphries]

Hello William, I'd be suprised if Bats created the hole.

 

More like a woody has been there first, after the colinisation by the Fistulina.

Then (if there are bats inside = possibly) then they would have gone in afterwoods.

 

Can't really make out which & where the hole is though?

 

 

 

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[William]

Hi David. The hole is inside the hollow stem on the right at about 1m above ground level. The beefsteak was in a hollow at the centre of the tree about 0.5m below grass level. Thanks.

[caledonian bob]

Bats would not have made the hole, they roost in natural features or holes made by other creatures.

[William]

Sorry guys, I think I have asked the wrong question.

I meant to ask whether you think bats are using this hole. Does this hole look like a place that bats may be living?

Many thanks.

[David Humphries]

It's very possible that bats have or would roost in this habitat, although at 1m off the ground I think that predation may warn then off aswell as a lack of clear flightline in, due to the covering foliage.

 

 

 

 

 

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[ray s]

doesn't appear to be used by bats in my opinion, usually there would be some staining on the outside of the hole and from your description it appears to be too low for them. i would guess a woodpecker created it , you may find an angry squirrel in there though!

[kieran connell]

or an owl with a box of matches:)

[Tony Croft aka hamadryad]

It is a good roosting oportunity, not maternity but certainly a stop gap for lone males, for staining to occur there has to be a large build up and a run out potential (maternities usualy) there will often be little evidence of a lone male, or small groups.

 

IMO this tree is a valuable habitat.

 

and bats use VERY low entries to hollow stems.