Researchers have confirmed the presence of Nathusius’ pipistrelle bats at a Yorkshire Water facility near Sheffield, marking the first recorded instance of the species in South Yorkshire. The discovery was made through a combination of environmental DNA (eDNA) analysis and visual confirmation, with eDNA samples collected from bat boxes in March suggesting the animal’s presence and a physical sighting occurring in April at a separate nearby location.
The bat boxes were installed at the site in 2025 as part of Yorkshire Water’s species conservation programme, designed to replicate natural roosting habitats and support bat populations. According to Sean Davey, the company’s lead ecologist, the rapid adoption of these boxes by multiple bat species within nine months of installation demonstrates the effectiveness of the conservation approach.
The detection process involved collaboration between Yorkshire Water ecologists, the South Yorkshire Bat Group, and biodiversity intelligence company NatureMetrics. DNA swabs were taken from bat boxes and surrounding roost sites to collect eDNA samples. Dr George Muscatt from NatureMetrics explained that this swabbing technique allows ecologists to identify species through microscopic DNA traces left in the environment, rather than requiring nighttime tree climbing and visual identification methods.
Nathusius’ pipistrelle is identified as one of the UK’s rarer breeding bat species, distinguished by longer fur on its back compared to common bats, and is known for migrating long distances between the UK and Europe. The finding suggests that eDNA monitoring represents a potentially valuable tool for ecologists, enabling rapid assessment of multiple bat boxes and potentially revealing species distributions that might otherwise be missed during one-off visual surveys, thereby supporting more targeted conservation efforts.
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