Mottisfont Bats

{{Short description|Protected area in Hampshire, England}}

{{Use dmy dates|date=April 2022}}

{{Infobox SSSI

|image= Walking through Spearywell Wood - geograph.org.uk - 424261.jpg

|image_caption =

|name= Mottisfont Bats

|aos= Hampshire

|interest=Biological

|gridref={{gbmappingsmall|SU 313 280}}

|area= {{convert|196.7|ha|acre|abbr=off}}

|notifydate= 2003

|map=[https://magic.defra.gov.uk/MagicMap.aspx?startTopic=Designations&activelayer=sssiIndex&query=HYPERLINK%3D%272000466%27 Magic Map]

}}

Mottisfont Bats is a {{convert| 196.7 |ha|acre|abbr=off|adj=on}} biological Site of Special Scientific Interest west of Winchester in Hampshire.{{cite web|url= https://designatedsites.naturalengland.org.uk/SiteDetail.aspx?SiteCode=S2000466&SiteName=&countyCode=19&responsiblePerson=&SeaArea=&IFCAArea= |title=Designated Sites View: Mottisfont Bats | series= Sites of Special Scientific Interest|publisher=Natural England|accessdate = 15 May 2020}}{{cite web|url=https://magic.defra.gov.uk/MagicMap.aspx?startTopic=Designations&activelayer=sssiIndex&query=HYPERLINK%3D%272000466%27 |title=Map of Mottisfont Bats|series= Sites of Special Scientific Interest|publisher=Natural England|accessdate= 15 May 2020}} It is also a Special Area of Conservation.{{cite web|url= https://designatedsites.naturalengland.org.uk/SiteGeneralDetail.aspx?SiteCode=UK0030334&SiteName=&countyCode=19&responsiblePerson=&unitId=&SeaArea=&IFCAArea= |title=Designated Sites View: Mottisfont Bats | series= Special Areas of Conservation|publisher=Natural England|accessdate = 23 April 2020}}

The site consists of woods around Mottisfont, which supports a population of the barbastelle bat which is considered by Natural England to be of national importance. The site is used by the barbastelles for breeding, roosting, commuting and feeding. It is the only known maternity roost in Hampshire and one of only six known sites in the United Kingdom as of 2002. Eight other bat species have been recorded at Mottisfont: whiskered, brown long-eared, common and soprano pipistrelles, serotine, noctule, Daubenton's and Natterer's. Mottisfont contains a mix of woodland types including hazel coppice with standards, broadleaved plantation and coniferous plantation.{{cite web|url= https://designatedsites.naturalengland.org.uk/PDFsForWeb/Citation/2000466.pdf |title=Mottisfont Bats citation|series= Sites of Special Scientific Interest|publisher=Natural England|accessdate= 15 May 2020}}