How does bat-friendly lighting work?

Lighting that is Bat friendly

Written by Made by Landmark - 30 Sep 2024

Bats are slowly declining in the UK due to various reasons. This is why the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981 was introduced, making it illegal to harm bats or disturb their roosts. As artificial lighting continues to affect bat habitats, the concept of bat-friendly lighting has become essential to protecting these nocturnal creatures while balancing the need for outdoor illumination.

Thoughtful lighting can play a significant role in safeguarding local wildlife as a whole. Many nightly species, including birds, insects, and small mammals, rely on natural darkness to navigate, hunt, and avoid predators. When artificial lighting disrupts these patterns, it can cause confusion, reduce feeding opportunities, and even lead to population declines.

Artificial lighting has negative effects on bats.

Artificial lighting has a lot of negative effects on bats, primarily by disrupting their natural cycles and habitats. Bats are nocturnal, meaning they rely on darkness to govern their behaviour, such as when to emerge from their roosts and how they navigate their surroundings. When exposed to artificial light, this natural rhythm is interrupted, causing confusion and altering essential behaviours like foraging and migration.

Moreover, bats are particularly sensitive to blue and green lighting, which can disturb their natural behaviours. While these colours are often invisible to the human eye, they are present in the ordinary white light spectrum and can be highly disruptive to bats. This sensitivity causes confusion and disorientation, making it difficult for bats to navigate or forage effectively, ultimately threatening their survival.

Although awareness is increasing, many people are still unaware of the harmful effects that artificial lighting can have on bats and other wildlife. However, there are some simple ways to make lighting more bat-friendly, which can help protect these important pollinators and insect predators.

Artificial light delays bat feeding.

Artificial light plays a crucial role in delaying bat feeding, directly impacting their ability to thrive. As nocturnal creatures, bats depend on the cover of darkness to safely emerge from their roosts and hunt for food. When exposed to artificial light, especially near their habitats, bats may hesitate to leave their roosts, waiting until it’s dark enough to feel secure.

This delay can be problematic, as peak insect activity often occurs just after dusk, reducing the time available for bats to feed. As a result, their chances of accumulating enough food are significantly diminished, affecting their health and growth.

Why is bat-friendly lighting important?

The Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981 makes it illegal to harm or disturb bats, as well as damage or obstruct their roosts. Under this law, any lighting near bat habitats that causes disturbance or forces bats to abandon their roosts could result in legal penalties. This means that property owners and developers must be mindful of their lighting choices to avoid unintentionally breaking the law.

Lighting designed with bats in mind plays a crucial role in helping to comply with this legislation by reducing the impact of artificial light on bats. By using lighting solutions designed with bats in mind, such as warm-toned lights and minimising light spill, we can protect these vulnerable species while also ensuring that outdoor spaces remain lit.

Bat friendly lighting

What are the key considerations for outdoor lighting for bats?

If you’re planning to install outdoor lighting near bat habitats, there are a few key considerations to maximise bat-friendliness:

1. Light only where needed.

When it comes to outdoor lighting for bats, one of the key considerations is to light only where it is truly needed. By concentrating illumination in specific areas, we can significantly reduce light spill into sensitive regions, such as Dark Sky Reserves, where maintaining natural darkness is crucial for both wildlife and human enjoyment.

Focusing light downward or shielding helps minimise disruption to wildlife by preventing unnecessary exposure to artificial lighting. When light is directed downward or shielded, it allows bats to navigate and forage without the confusion and stress that stray light can cause.

2. Colour temperature is important.

Warm white tones between 2200K and 2700K are crucial for bat-friendly lighting as they emit less blue light compared to cooler tones. Blue light at wavelengths below 480 nm can disrupt the circadian rhythms of bats, interfering with their foraging, navigation and roosting behaviours.

Warm white tones with a restricted wavelength between 580 nm to 620 nm, producing an amber shade, are less disruptive for bats. To further reduce disturbance, light sources should have peak wavelengths above 550 nm, avoiding the portion of the spectrum known to be most unsettling for bats. 

Here at Made by Landmark, our lighting for bats operates at 593 nm, offering an optimal balance that minimises disruption to these nocturnal creatures. This specific wavelength provides the gentle illumination necessary for human visibility while ensuring that bats can carry out their natural activities without the negative effects associated with harsher lighting.

3. Reduce energy consumption with efficient lighting.

Investing in efficient lighting solutions with longer life spans reduces the number of light bulbs needing replacement over time. This cuts down on energy consumption and costs in the long run, while also lessening the impact on natural ecosystems from the production and disposal of bulbs.

LED lights are one of the most sustainable and efficient options, producing very little heat, lasting up to 100,000 hours and using 80% less energy compared to incandescent bulbs. Some of the key benefits are:

  • Lower operating costs – Solar and LED lighting have much lower operating costs due to their energy efficiency. This can significantly reduce organisations’ electricity bills and carbon footprint.
  • Reduced carbon emissions – Since solar and LED lights use less energy, they emit less carbon dioxide and other greenhouse gases into the atmosphere. This helps mitigate the impacts of climate change.
  • Improved sustainability – By lowering energy demands, solar and LED lighting support a more sustainable and eco-friendly approach to outdoor illumination that is better aligned with environmental goals. This includes protecting habitats for bats and other wildlife that depend on natural darkness.

4. Fixture design and materials should minimise glare.

It is important to select lighting fixtures that minimise glare and blend with the surrounding environment. Fixtures that cause excessive glare can disrupt bats and other wildlife. Fixtures with hoods or shields can help reduce glare and light spillage.

Natural materials like timber are also a more harmonious option, particularly for bollards. Timber bollards provide softer, less disruptive lighting while blending into the landscape. They allow light to shine through in a diffuse manner that minimises disruption to nocturnal species.

What are the types of bat-friendly lighting solutions?

When considering outdoor lighting solutions that are considerate of bat populations, specific types of fixtures can significantly reduce disturbances. One effective option is lamp posts equipped with an amber mode, specifically designed to minimise disruptions to bats. These lamp posts offer a colour temperature of less than 2700K, which is ideal for creating bat-friendly environments.

Amber lighting serves a dual purpose: it limits the emission of blue spectrum light, which is known to disorient bats during their nighttime activities. By using amber lighting, we reduce the amount of blue light that interferes with their natural behaviours, making it easier for them to navigate and forage for food. This thoughtful approach to lighting not only helps protect these vital creatures but also aids in reducing overall light pollution in the area.

Eye (solar) – lighting bollard

The Eye solar lighting bollard is a minimalist, low-level fixture designed for discreet illumination that does not disturb wildlife. With its simple cylindrical form and soft glow, this lighting solution provides gentle, targeted lighting that minimises glare and light pollution.

The Eye bollard uses solar panels and a rechargeable battery, making it an eco-friendly option that does not require wiring or trenching. Its sustainable design and amber LED light source work together to create lighting conditions that protect bats and other wildlife that depend on natural darkness for their nightly activities.

Bosco (solar) – lighting bollard

The Bosco solar lighting bollard has a natural, rough appearance that helps it blend in with the outdoor environment. Made from chestnut wood with a diameter between 180 and 200 mm, the Bosco bollard seems to vanish during the day but comes to life at night with its soft glow. Its rough wooden exterior and simple cylindrical shape minimise glare and light pollution, while the integrated solar panels and rechargeable battery provide energy-efficient, eco-friendly illumination that does not require wiring.

‘Rough on the outside, warm on the inside’ sums up the Bosco bollard’s design philosophy – unobtrusive during the day yet providing a warm glow for outdoor paths and trails at night while keeping light pollution to a minimum.

Bosco and Eye Solar - lighting bollards

Protect wildlife through responsible lighting.

It’s time to make a shift towards more considerate lighting solutions that support our local bat populations. By making considerate choices, we can protect wildlife while still enjoying outdoor spaces at night. Simple changes like installing amber LED lights and using bat-friendly lighting bollards can make a big difference in protecting bats and other wildlife.

At Made by Landmark, we are committed to providing innovative, wildlife-friendly lighting solutions. If you need bat-safe outdoor lighting projects that enhance spaces while protecting local wildlife, contact us. Together, we can make a difference for wildlife by ensuring that our nightscapes remain vibrant and balanced ecologically.

Contact us

0808 129 3773

    Written by Made by Landmark - 30 Sep 2024

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