Some Fun Facts About UK Bats

There are 18 species of bats in the UK & 9 species in Ireland

All of them are protected by law. The most common is the common pipistrelle

They’re the only true flying mammals in the UK

While flying squirrels can glide, bats can actively flap their wings.

They are a tiny mammal with an enormous appetite

A single pipistrelle bat can eat up to 3,000 midges in one night — that’s serious pest control!

They have a Superpower

Bats use echolocation to navigate and find food in the dark. They make high-pitched sounds (too high for humans to hear) and listen for the echoes.

They sleep in a weird position

They hang upside down because it’s the easiest way for them to take off into flight — their wings can’t generate enough lift from the ground.

Some species hibernate in winter

When insects become scarce, bats enter torpor — a state where their heart rate and body temperature drop dramatically. Hibernation is a longer and deeper form of torpor, some species of bats use both methods to survive colder weather when food is less available.

The smallest UK bat is the common pipistrelle

They can be as small as 3.5 cm long with a wingspan of about 20 cm. They weigh less than a £1 coin!

The largest UK bat is the noctule bat

The Noctule has a wingspan of nearly 40 cm and can be spotted flying high before sunset.

Bats roost in surprising places

Not just caves and castles! You might find them in church towers, roofs, old trees, holes in wood and trees, cellars, under bridges, or even behind roof tiles.

Bats are excellent mothers

Females usually have only one pup per year, and mothers recognize their babies by sound and smell among hundreds in a roost.

They can drink while flying

Bats can skim over ponds and streams to scoop water into their mouths or get their fur wet so they can lick the water off when they can land safely.