Bat Behaviour
What do bats eat?
All native British bats eat insects. Each species has its favourite types, hunting them in its own special way. Most are caught and eaten in mid-air, though it is sometimes easier to hang up to eat larger prey. All bats have very big appetites, because flying uses up lots of energy. A common pipistrelle can eat over 3,000 tiny insects in a single night!
You can help to provide food for bats by planting a wildlife friendly garden.
How do bats catch their prey in the dark?
Bats are not blind, but at night their ears are more important than their eyes. As they fly they make shouting sounds. The returning echoes give information about anything that is ahead of them, including the size and shape of an insect and which way it is going. This system of finding their prey is called echolocation - locating things by their echoes.
Where do bats live? 
Bats do not make nests, but choose various places throughout the year to roost. Some prefer hollow trees, others caves, some use both at different times. Many shelter in buildings, behind hanging tiles and boarding, or in roof spaces. For several weeks in summer, female bats choose somewhere warm to gather in a maternity roost. Here they have their babies, staying until the young are able to fly and feed themselves. Bats are often found roosting in houses, both new and old. You may realise that you have bats roosting in your house during the summer months, when they are most likely to be active. If you think you have bats in your house, call the Bat Helpline on 0845 1300 228 and ask for a copy of our ‘Living with Bats' booklet, which gives advice and information for roost owners, or your download it usnig the links below.
Mating / Breeding
Bats mate during the autumn and sometimes into the winter when they hibernate. The females then store the sperm and do not become pregnant until the spring when the weather gets warmer. Pregnant females gather together in maternity roosts to have their young and these may be the same group and the same site each time. Pregnancy lasts between 6 to 9 weeks depending on the species and can be influenced by availability of food and climate. Females usually give birth to a single baby each year which they keep close to them and nuture. Bats are very sensitive to disturbance during the maternity season and may abandon their young if this happens. For 4-5 weeks the young are suckled by their mothers until they are old enough to fly and they begin to venture out from the roost to forage for food.
Related downloads
An introduction to the bats of Britain & Ireland
A guide for roost owners
A guide for bat-friendly gardening and living.