Altringham Lab

Swarming and migration

Hibernating whiskered bat

One major aspect of our work has been the study of autumn swarming, a mating system common to many temperate bat species. Hundreds or even thousands of bats, from large catchment areas, gather at underground sites every night during the autumn to mate. These sites are often used later in the year as hibernacula. We have recently extended our studies to sites across western Europe. Swarming is closely coupled to migration and hibernation in bats and is therefore of considerable biological and conservation interest. We are combining genetics and stable isotope analysis to probe migration between summer and winter sites and look at the consequences to population structure.

Seasonal migration of Natterer's bats
between summer roosts
and swarming sites

Catching swarming bats at a cave with harp traps

Selected publications

• PDF Rivers NM, Butlin RK and Altringham JD. (2005) Genetic population structure of Natterers bats explained by mating at swarming sites and philopatry. Mol. Ecol. 14, 4299-4312.
• PDF Rivers NM, Butlin RK and Altringham JD. (2006) Autumn swarming behaviour of Natterer´s bats in the UK: population size, catchment area and dispersal. Biol. Conserv. 172, 215-226.
• PDF Glover AM and Altringham JD. (2008) Cave selection and use by swarming bat species. Biol. Conserv. 172, 215-226.