PRESS RELEASE

25 October 2006
Halloween: Spooky Species – Dispelling the Myths.

With Halloween just around the corner, Cheshire Wildlife Trust is taking the opportunity to provide an insight into three creatures, closely linked with the spooky event: bats, spiders and toads. Although in folklore these creatures abound in plentiful numbers, in reality they face mounting problems in terms of loss of habitat and low populations. As a result, Cheshire Wildlife Trust is hoping to dispel some of the myths about these species and widen awareness of their plight.

Bats
Bats have a scary link with Halloween, both through their association with vampires and their historic legacy as a symbol of death and disease.

However bats actually are very shy, gentle creatures. You are most likely to see the pipistrelle bat, but there are 10 species that have been recorded in recent years in Cheshire including the brown-long eared and the whiskered bat. Some can live for over 20 years on a diet of moths, beetles and other flying insects. It is estimated that one single pipistrelle bat can eat approximately 3,000 insects per night! All bats, and their roosts, are protected by law making it illegal to injure, disturb or even handle a wild bat without a licence.

Kat Walsh, Reserves Officer at Cheshire Wildlife Trust, says: “The unsavoury reputation bats have is somewhat unjustified. Bats are not only elegant and fascinating creatures, but they are also an integral part of the ecosystem. Unfortunately due to human misunderstanding, habitat destruction and loss, changes in agricultural practices, loss of hibernation and roosting sites etc, many bat species are now seriously threatened or endangered.”

Toads
Although in folklore witches at Halloween often conjure spells with “eye of toad” as an essential ingredient, some varieties of toad are now so extremely rare that they have been given legal protection.

The Natterjack Toad is one of the most endangered species, and in Cheshire the only breeding colony is at Cheshire Wildlife Trust’s Red Rocks Nature Reserve on the Wirral Peninsula. The species is now protected by the 1981 Wildlife and Countryside Act and it is an offence to handle or take this animal without license.

Despite this protection, the Natterjack Toad still faces a number of threats including competition from common toads, and disturbance of embryo dune formation, which limits the available habitat of the species.

Spiders
In mythology witches were often thought to be able to take the form of spiders and throughout the ages they have been linked to poison and sacrifice. However, in modern times spiders are recognised for the important role they play in agriculture as a natural pest controller.

Within Cheshire, the Linyphiid Spider can be found at Wybunbury Moss, in Cheshire, which is a National Nature Reserve. It is currently considered endangered at its Wybunbury location and work is ongoing to monitor this population on an annual basis.

Sue Tatman, Conservation Officer at Cheshire Wildlife Trust, says: “Myths and misconceptions still exist about species such as bats and toads, and Halloween is a good time for people to remember the positive qualities these creatures bring to our world and the challenges they are facing”.

Ends