Pipistrelle

Scientific Name: Pipistrellus pipistrellus (Vespertilionidae).

English Name: Pipistrelle.

French Name: Pipistrelle commune.

5 Key Characters:

• smallest European bat. 
• fairly dark and uniformly coloured.
• often around buildings.
• flies soon after sunset.
• flies fast and jerkily, with many twists and turns.

Lookalikes: Other Pipistrellus spp, which are all bigger. Whiskered Bat Selysius mystacinus, which has more pointed ears.

Habitat: Winter -- buildings, rock fissures, hollow trees and cave entrances. Summer -- buildings (in cracks and small gaps, behind wallpaper and blown render; hollow trees, in ivy and under bark.

Status: common and widespread.

Further Reading and References:

Photographed by Loire Valley Nature:

Photographed in our garden, July.

Photographed in our garden, July

Photographed in our garden, July

Photographed in our garden, July

Photographed from our garden.

Photographed in our garden, July