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Trees woods and wildlife
Greater horseshoe bat
Rare and highly agile. Look out for the greater horseshoe bat along woodland edges at dawn and dusk. The longest-lived bat in the UK, it has become scarce due to a loss of insect prey and habitat.
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Trees woods and wildlife
Willow, bay
Small but pretty, the bay willow is named after its smell and misleading appearance. It’s a lover of damp conditions, and feeder of pollinators and caterpillars.
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Trees woods and wildlife
Barbastelle bat
Distinctive, rare, elusive. The barbastelle bat lives in deciduous woodland and looks unlike any other bat. If you’re lucky, you might spot it hunting in wet woodland.
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Trees woods and wildlife
Natterer’s bat
Foliage foragers and cave-dwelling contortionists, these ‘red-armed bats’ are expert hunters and can squeeze themselves into the tightest of spaces.
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Trees woods and wildlife
Barn owl
With bright white feathers and a distinctive heart-shaped face, there’s no mistaking the barn owl. Catching sight of one on the wing is always a delight.
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Trees woods and wildlife
Daubenton’s bat
A flying mammal with an aquatic edge. These bats are drawn to water, snatching insects from the surface of rivers and lakes.
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Trees woods and wildlife
Leisler's bat
Tree-dwellers with a lion-like appearance, these fast-flying bats are scarce throughout Britain but common in Ireland.
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London Borough of Barnet Wood
Barnet Gate Wood
Greater London
5.14 ha (12.70 acres)
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Trees woods and wildlife
Why bats need woods and trees
The UK is home to 18 species of bats, all of which are protected by law. This protection extends to their breeding and resting places. Hedgerows, tree lines and watercourses are important to the roosting, foraging and navigation needs of bats.
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Trees woods and wildlife
Great spruce bark beetle
The great spruce bark beetle damages spruce trees by tunnelling into the bark. This pest was accidentally introduced into the UK in 1982 and now has become established in Western England, Wales and Southern Scotland.