A young bat lover is contributing to researching the under-threat creatures by using a detector to survey populations in his home town.

Marcus Appleby, 12, one of the youngest bat detectorists in the area, has been out at dusk and dark with his handheld detector, walking where bats have been sighted, along Tavistock Canal and in the woodland around his school, Mount Kelly College.

Among the bats he has detected by his high frequency sound monitor are Daubenton’s (a pink-faced bat, with a wingspan of 25cm, which flies around water and skims the surface looking for insect food), Noctule (the UK’s largest bat which feeds on insects above trees), Serotine and Pipistrelle (so small it can fit into a matchbox, but eats 3,000 insects a night).

Marcus sends his observations to Devon Bat Group and the Bat Conservation Trust, both of who are dedicated to conserving and increasing bat numbers as they are vulnerable to reduced habitats and food sources, down to human pressures and climate and weather affecting insect numbers.

He was inspired by Ursula Mann, a West Devon borough and Tavistock town councillor, to take up the nocturnal hobby after she and a Tavistock Community Garden won a detector for community environmental work. He also addressed a group of West Devon borough councillors and officers about his bat work when he applied to be a community wildlife warden.

Marcus said: “It’s important to know what’s happening to bat populations because it gives evidence of wider problems like fewer insect they feed on. Then this can be put together with other bat group data and to add to the bigger picture by the Bat Conservation Trust to see how nature is suffering. It can all help us understand climate change and how it is affecting wildlife.”

He said Soprano pipistrelle numbers had reduced compared with last year and this could be down to fewer insect food sources after a cold wet spring which left them vulnerable to being eaten by predators such as owls and hawks. However, the larger bats were more able to survive because they were less likely to be predated.

Councillor Mann, who leads on climate and biodiversity for the borough council, said: “Marcus is really passionate about the natural world and his participation in the bat surveys has been a great way for him to make a tangible difference to Tavistock.

“Some of our numbers were lower this year, particularly with pipistrelles. This may be due to many factors including the higher rainfall and lower temperatures leading to less insects for feeding the bats. By monitoring year on year, hopefully we can begin to track any patterns of decline and perhaps prevent that.

“I was really proud in particular at the way that Marcus presented to a room of 50 adults at West Devon Borough Council where he was able to speak confidently and accurately about his experiences.”

Marcus’ mum Zoe said: “Marcus has always been interested in animals since he was small. He watches every episode of Spring Watch, for instance, and soaks it up. A career in conservation is something he’s considering.”