PIPISTRELLE BAT

pipistrelles pipistrelles

Facts

Latin Name - Pipistrellus pipistrellus
Conservation Status - Common
Location - Worldwide
Diet - Insects
Colour - Brown / Dark Brown
Wingspan - 18 to 25 cm
Weight - 3.5 to 8.5 g
Life Expectancy - Average 4 - 5 years

The Common Pipistrelle is a small pipistrelle bat whose very large range extends across most of Europe, North Africa, southwestern Asia, and may extend into Korea. It is one of the most common bat species in the British Isles.

In 1999, the common pipistrelle was split into two species on the basis of different-frequency echolocation calls. The common pipistrelle uses a call of 45 kHz, while the soprano pipistrelle echolocates at 55 kHz. Since the two species were distinguished, a number of other differences, in appearance, habitat and food, have also been discovered.

what do they look like?

Appearance

The pipistrelle is the smallest and most common of Britain's 18 species of bat. It belongs to the Vespertilionidae family of bats, known as ordinary or earlet bats, and appears earlier in the evening than most other bats. It has a jerky, erratic flight, flickering its wings rapidly as it pursues its prey.

A tiny body, short legs, broad flat head; short, broad ears, fairly narrow wings and a short tail. Adults vary in colour from place to place, some colonies are mainly orange-brown and others mainly pale grey-brown. Ears and muzzle are dark.

Where do they live?

Distribution & Conservation

The common pipistrelle is widely distributed across the UK and its distribution appears to extend further north than that of soprano pipistrelle. Along with the common pipistrelle it is one of Britain’s commonest bat species.

Populations of pipistrelles have declined dramatically in the last few decades. This is at least partly as a result of modern agricultural practices, although common pipistrelle populations have started showing signs of recovery in recent years. Their reliance on buildings for roosting makes them vulnerable to building renovations, exclusion and toxic remedial timber treatment chemicals.