Yinnar, Yinnar South Landcare - April 2026

By J. Duncan

Our group now has ultrasonic bat call recorders so that we can learn more about where these very useful, tiny insect-eating animals can be found around our district. Bats are complicated, and we are very much still learning to use the monitors and the software that will let us identify bats by their calls. We took the real-time monitor out in public for the first time at the Friends of Morwell National Park spotlighting and moth night on March 14.

Our Secret Life of Bats workshop in Yinnar on March 25 with Wildlife Unlimited was a great success. The rain and thunder even stopped long enough for us to take two bat call detectors for a walk down the path towards the Stock Reserve.

Ultrasonic detectors are needed to pick up the echo-location calls that microbats use to find their prey. Interestingly, during the workshop our presenter, Laura, did a test using a recorded call of one of the few bats that is within the range of human hearing. About two thirds of the people there were able to hear its high-pitched, metallic sounding regular clicking.

Many more people have heard the much louder calls of flying foxes that navigate by sight and smell. These mega-bats roost hanging from branches in large groups, or camps, usually near water and appear to like a chat. In the workshop we learnt more about these fascinating creatures and their critical role in ecosystems both as pollinators and for spreading seed in forests.

Flying foxes are migratory; microbats tend to stay in the same place unless they migrate for breeding. Large hollows in live or dead trees may have hundreds of female microbats roosting together. Smaller hollows or bark crevices may be just the spot for solitary males. Bats in roofs, or coats in the shed, drains, chimneys or other human-made place may be there because the bats’ previous home in a tree or cave has been disturbed or altered.

If you feel you need to change where a group of bats lives, or if you find an injured bat, please be careful not to touch the bat(s) without wearing strong leather gloves. Or you could use a towel to scoop up the bat to get it off the ground and away from predators. Somewhere warm and dry is then the best spot for it to recover its strength if uninjured.

If a bat is injured or needs to be re-located, WIRES on 1300 094 737 can put you in touch with the nearest bat rescue service in your area.

Bats may not recover from having to move when they are in torpor (semi-hibernation) in winter. They build up fat in autumn when prey is plentiful and often cannot replace the energy lost when they are disturbed. They need to get their body temperature high enough for flight and then find scarce insect prey to replace their lost energy.

Finally, did you know that microbats can send their echolocation calls out through their noses at the same time as eating their prey with their mouths? We suggest that you do not try this at home.

By the time this goes to press, we will also have held out annual Sycamore Slaughter at the Budgeree Bushland Reserve. It is now eighteen years since we began this weed control project and progress has been steady.

Coming up next:

On Saturday April 18 we have an afternoon workshop on ‘Creating Habitat in Gardens’. This will talk about all sorts of creatures that are useful to have in gardens, and about gardens that provide useful habitat for them. Bees, butterflies, birds and bats are all beneficial to gardens as are many more insects as well as skinks, lizards and perhaps turtles. All need habitat and reward with pollination and pest control while adding movement, colour and interest to the garden.

The workshop will be held at arc yinnar in the Switchroom. It costs $5 for adults and is free for those aged under 18. Booking is through trybooking and the booking code is: https://www.trybooking.com/DKWFP

You can see more about our group by searching for Yinnar Landcare to find our website. It is on the Landcare Gateway that hosts pages for Landcare groups in Victoria.

https://www.landcarevic.org.au/groups/westgippsland/yinnar-south/