No Desk Time for Me – It’s Bat Exclusion Season!

Oct 6, 2025

Following a busy survey season, most ecologists look forward to a bit of desk time to catch up on reports and admin… but not licensed bat ecologists!

For us, autumn is the season of bat exclusions. This is when we carefully encourage bats to leave roosts in buildings scheduled for repair or redevelopment, then seal the access points so they can’t return until works are completed. It’s a key part of ensuring construction can go ahead legally and responsibly, while still protecting these species.

This year, I’m managing exclusions on seven licensed sites. After a summer spent preparing and writing licences, I’m now out sealing up access points, counting bats at dusk, and gearing up for several roof strips before hibernation sets in.

Over the next few weeks, I’ll be sharing some of the highs (and inevitable lows!) from these projects. Sometimes everything runs smoothly… other times, things get very tricky—especially when bats simply don’t want to leave their roosts.

Stay tuned for a behind-the-scenes look at life on licensed bat sites this autumn.