People are being urged to protect Britain’s bats as the mammals’ numbers are dropping rapidly.
They are under threat from habitation loss and changes in the weather.
Most bats come out of hibernation between March and May.
Today has been chosen as Bat Appreciation Day across the UK.
Over the last years the RSPCA has looked after and nursed more than 1,000 to health.
A number have been caught-up in litter like discarded fishing line.
People are being asked to take-up wildlife-friendly gardening.
RSPCA scientific officer Evie Button said:
“It’s essential we do what we can not only to protect bats, but also to help them thrive.
“The RSPCA has plenty of ways people can take simple but effective steps in their own gardens to do just that.
“Gardeners can help the species by cultivating insect-friendly outdoor spaces, which supply food for bats as their main source of sustenance.
“Planting a variety of flowers and plants, particularly night-scented flowers, or types with pale petals visible in the dark, will help nocturnal bats to pollinate flowers after sunset.
“Flowers with landing pads for insects also supply bat-friendly feeding areas, as well as compost, leaf or log piles to attract invertebrates.
“Ponds or other wet areas are havens for insects like midges, which are one of the main sources of food for bats, as well as supplying a source of drinking water.
“Trees and shrubs are essential bat habitats, supplying insects for nutrition and space to roost.
