Daubenton's Bat
Myotis daubentonii
About
Known as the 'water bat', Daubenton's bats feed on small flies taken from close to the water or directly from the water surface by fishing with their large feet or tails.
They are a medium-sized bat species that can live for up to 22 years. They have a steady flight, often within a few centimetres of the water surface.
Their echolocation calls on a bat detector sound like a machine gun like series of regular clicks for bursts of 5 to 10 seconds.
In England most Daubenton's bat summer colonies are in humid, more or less underground sites near water. These may be tunnels or bridges over canals and rivers, or in caves, mines and cellars. They hibernate in caves, mines and other underground sites.
Mating takes place in the autumn and continues throughout the winter. Maternity roosts are occupied from late spring and sometimes until October. Young bats are suckled for several weeks and are able to forage for themselves at 6 to 8 weeks. The average colony size is between 20 to 50 bats (up to 200).
Conservation status
Classed as ‘Least concern’ on the IUCN red list.
Coming out of my cave and doing just fine
After doing our time in there, making it nice
with Live Laugh Love and fairy lights up the stalactites.
After months absorbed in the great maternal shuffle
from prey to milk to tiny mouths. We come out
like an army. Each on our own trajectory, head-first
and screaming, born again. We disperse
and it hits me like too much too fast, my sisters
gone, my body strange and light on its wings.
Meanwhile and all at once, the things on the earth
call up their offerings as though to me in particular
and the sound travels through me like code. I know
where I am and what I am and what I will do now.
There is only darkness and a sound that says
everything is mine to take, and I take it, I take it all.
Length: 76 seconds
Poem: Jasmine Simms
Read by: Jasmine Simms
Sculpture
This sculpture was inspired by the caves in which these bats live and their 'sight' of their landscape, both above and below ground, from their echo-location. The cave is based on Stump Cross Caverns and the title of the piece is taken from Jasmine's poem.
Only Darkness
50x70x6cm
Bronze and acrylic painting on wood panel
Work in progress
Images and videos of various stages of the sculpture's production:
