# Pipistrelles (*Pipistrellus*) Pipistrelles are small bats that are great at flying! They use echolocation to find food in the dark, making them amazing nighttime hunters. - **Category:** [Mammals](https://www.snappit.app/explore/categories/mammal) - **Rarity:** Common - **Danger:** 2/5 · Low - **Habitat:** Forests ![Pipistrelles](https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?title=Special:Redirect/file/Pipistrellus_pipistrellus_lateral.jpg&width=800) Photo: CC BY-SA 3.0 · [Wikimedia Commons](https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Pipistrellus_pipistrellus_lateral.jpg) ## Appearance The Pipistrelles is a tiny bat with dark brown to reddish-brown fur, a paler underside, and small, dark wings. It has a distinctive short, dog-like face and small ears. Its minute size and quick, erratic flight visually differentiate it from larger bat species. ## Taxonomy - **Kingdom:** Animalia - **Phylum:** Chordata - **Class:** Mammalia - **Order:** Chiroptera - **Family:** Vespertilionidae - **Genus:** Pipistrellus ## Interesting facts - A Pipistrelle's heart can beat over 1000 times a minute while flying! - Some Pipistrelle colonies can include thousands of bats roosting together! - These tiny bats can live over 10 years, amazing for their small size! - They can navigate perfectly in complete darkness, even avoiding thin wires! ## Special abilities - **Echolocation:** Pipistrelles can 'see' using sound, sending out high-pitched squeaks to locate insects in complete darkness. - **Agile Flight:** Pipistrelles have super agile wings that help them dart and weave, catching fast-moving insects mid-air. - **Energy Saving Torpor:** Pipistrelles can enter torpor, lowering their body temperature and metabolism to save energy during cold periods. ## Measurements & details - **Length:** 3.5-5.2 cm - **Wingspan:** 18-25 cm - **Weight:** 0.003-0.008 kg - **Lifespan:** 4-10 years - **Speed:** 50 km/h - **Litter Size:** 1-2 - **Gestation:** 44-50 days ## Diet & Feeding Pipistrelles are expert aerial hunters, snatching small flying insects right out of the night sky. - **Primary Foods:** Moths, Midges, Mosquitoes, Small Beetles, Caddisflies - **Foraging Method:** Pursuit ## Ecological connections - **Hunts:** [Domestic Cat](https://www.snappit.app/explore/domestic-cat) (*Felis catus*) — Cats frequently prey on bats near urban roosts. - **Hunts:** [Tawny Owl](https://www.snappit.app/explore/tawny-owl) (*Strix aluco*) — Nocturnal owls hunt bats flying out from roosts. - **Hunts:** [Stone Marten](https://www.snappit.app/explore/stone-marten) (*Martes foina*) — Marten can prey on bats within their roosting sites. - **Eaten by:** Non-biting Midge (*Chironomus plumosus*) — Major food source for Pipistrelles during summer. ## Traits - [Furry](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/furry): Furry describes animals possessing a dense covering of soft hair or fur. - [Aerial](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/aerial): Aerial creatures spend a significant portion of their lives airborne, utilizing flight for various activities such as hunting, migration, or nesting. - [Insectivorous](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/insectivorous): This trait identifies organisms whose diet primarily consists of insects and other small invertebrates. - [Echolocation](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/echolocation): Echolocation is a biological sonar used by animals to navigate, hunt, and communicate by emitting sound waves and interpreting the echoes. - [Forest](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/forest): Forest habitats are terrestrial environments dominated by dense tree cover, supporting a high diversity of plant and animal life. - [Keystone Species](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/keystone-species): Describes a species whose presence and role have a disproportionately large effect on its environment. - [Miniature](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/miniature): Pertaining to species that are significantly smaller than typical or average for their kind. - [Speedster](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/speedster): This trait identifies organisms that exhibit exceptional swiftness in movement for hunting, escape, or travel. - [Nocturnal](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/nocturnal): Nocturnal animals are primarily active during the nighttime hours, typically resting or sleeping during the day. ## Collections - [Mammals](https://www.snappit.app/explore/collections/mammals) ## Safety **Danger:** 2/5 · Low If you see a bat, it's best to watch from a distance and not try to touch it. ## Frequently Asked Questions ### How to identify Pipistrelles? Compare ears, muzzle, tail, feet and coat markings. Size is hard to judge without something nearby for scale, and young mammals may not have adult coloring yet. Mammal Identifier: upload a photo and compare the visible details. ### How long is Pipistrelles? 3.5-5.2 cm ### What is Pipistrelles's wingspan? 18-25 cm ### How much does Pipistrelles weigh? 0.003-0.008 kg ### How long does Pipistrelles live? 4-10 years ### How fast can Pipistrelles move? 50 km/h ### What does Pipistrelles eat? Pipistrelles are expert aerial hunters, snatching small flying insects right out of the night sky. ### Where is Pipistrelles usually found? Forests ## More Mammals - [Eastern Fox Squirrel](https://www.snappit.app/explore/eastern-fox-squirrel) (*Sciurus niger*) - [Eastern Cottontail](https://www.snappit.app/explore/eastern-cottontail) (*Sylvilagus floridanus*) - [Eastern Chipmunk](https://www.snappit.app/explore/eastern-chipmunk) (*Tamias striatus*) - [California Ground Squirrel](https://www.snappit.app/explore/california-ground-squirrel) (*Otospermophilus beecheyi*) --- Source: [Pipistrelles: Facts & Places to See — Snappit](https://www.snappit.app/explore/pipistrelles)