Created April 2009
Last Updated April 2018
Pipistrellus pipistrellus (Schreber 1774)
Common pipistrelles are small bats weighing 4-8 gram (the weight of a credit card), with a body length of 33-48 mm. It is said that two could it inside a matchbox. We have never tried this.
They usually emerge about 20 minutes after sunset, but may come out in daylight.
They roost in houses and one of our members has been monitoring his pre maternity pipistrelle roost for over twenty years.Read more about his experiences 2005-1-Bats in houses
Although it is our commonest bat species, we rarely find it in hibernation – all species of pipistrelle account for about 1% of hibernation records (we don’t disturb them to find out precisely what species they are).
drawing (c) Joan Childs)
Their droppings are about 1.5-2.0mm in diameter and mm in length and have a smooth outline. They will crumble if rubbed between your fingers. If they don’t and have a sticky texture they were mice droppings, (sorry about that – now wash your hands).
For more on bat droppings visit the N Ireland Mammals Amphibian and reptiles site
They have a distinctive way of flying and are the bats you are most likely to see, They have a swooping, fluttering flight and often fly in circles following the same route over and over again,but you can’t separate the three species on the basis of flight pattern.
More information
http://www.bio.bris.ac.uk/research/bats/britishbats/index.htm
http://www.bats.org.uk/pages/uk_bat_species.html
Articles about Common pipistrelles
All about pipistrelles2008-7-all about pipistrelles
A male pipistrelle in a common pipistrelle maternity roost 2011-6-pipistrelle roost
Data from a Common Pipistrelle roost 2009Adams roost