UK Bat species

We have about 17 species of bat in the UK. World-wide there are about 1,300 species of bats. In the UK all bats eat insects.

Around this time of year you are less likely to see bats flying. Some might be mating ready to give birth to their young in spring, some might be entering extended periods of sleep.  As the cold, long, winter months draw in bats will begin to hibernate. This is usually from around November till March/April – depending on the weather.

As they hibernate they lower their body temperature and their metabolic rate slows. This means they are able to survive through the winter on the fat reserves they have stored during the rest of the year. During the colder months there will also be fewer insects about.

In our bat walks around Pittville Park we have recorded 4 species. We can have a pretty good guess at identifying the species based on their size, flight, habitat and time of night they are active.  But, to identify them we also need to analyse their calls.

Common pipistrelle

Pipistrelles are our most common bat. They have an erratic flight, twisting and turning in the air catching a range of small flies, aquatic midges and mosquitos. They can eat 3,000 insects a night.

Around Pittville Park you might see them around 20 minutes after sunset flying below the tree-tops around the paths and lake.

Soprano pipistrelle

The soprano pipistrelle is our smallest bat species. It was only identified in the 1990’s as a separate species. To distinguish them from the common pipistrelle we need to look at their calls – they call at a lower frequency than their larger cousins.

Noctules

The noctule bat is one of the largest of our bat species. It is usually the first bat to appear in the evening, sometimes even before sunset.

They fly quite high and fast and behave differently to the pipistrelles. We have seen them at Pittville Park flying in straight lines over the fields. As they feed they suddenly dive down taking insects in flight. They will eat small insects early in the year and later beetles and maybe moths. Around the park we have seen them close to the lights over the paths around the lakes.

Daubenton’s bat

Daubenton’s bats are also known as the water bat. They fly low over water using their feet and tail to scoop up small insects, such as midges, caddisflies and mayflies. At Pittville Park they can be seen flying just a few centimeters above the surface of the lake. They are a small to medium-sized bat. They have a brownish fur and a paler silverfish belly that you can sometimes see as they fly close to you.