A new generation takes flight: first baby bats of 2025

4th June 2025

It’s official: the first baby bats of 2025 have arrived! We know this not through field surveys or technology, but thanks to people like you — members of the public who’ve followed our advice after encountering baby bats.

These tiny bats are the start of a new generation, and — just like us — they depend on dedicated mothers for warmth, milk, and care. With help from the National Bat Helpline and the Bat Care Network, many that get into trouble will be reunited with their mums. Both the helpline and the bat carers themselves rely on donations to keep going.

Read on to learn what makes these creatures so remarkable — and how you can help protect their fragile start in life.

A new generation takes flight: first baby bats of 2025

Tiny wings, big moment

As summer temperatures rise and daylight stretches into evening, something remarkable happens just out of sight: in warm, dark spaces across the UK baby bats (called pups) are born.

Unfortunately, baby bats can sometimes be found on the ground or clinging to walls or windows after becoming separated from their mothers. And so, as the maternity season gets underway, BCT’s National Bat Helpline will start receiving calls from people who simply want to help these vulnerable babies.

While their sudden appearance can be startling, the presence of baby bats signals something wonderful: a maternity roost nearby.

Want to know more about the life cycle of bats? Look here: A year in the life of a bat.

Supermums of the night

Bats are some of the most devoted mothers in the natural world.

All UK species give birth to just one pup per year or, occasionally, twins. Pups are born tiny, furless, and completely dependent on their mothers, who nurse them with milk and keep them close in warm, safe maternity roosts. These communal nurseries mean they can share warmth and safety in numbers. In some species, researchers have listened in to communication between mother and pups. The baby bats babble and learn from the mother’s responsive calls, just like humans do.

Maternity roosts are carefully chosen by the mother bats for warmth and safety. Mothers may return to the same roost site year after year, and any disturbance of the roost can cause serious disruption for a local population of bats.

That’s why it’s so important to check for bats before doing any roofing or building work in summer or before cutting down any trees. But don’t worry, BCT has plenty of free advice, covering everything from the average home to places of worship.

A baby noctule on a gloved hand next to a pound coin. The coin is about the same size as the baby bat's body.

How baby bats get separated from their mums

Despite their mothers’ care, young bats sometimes get into trouble. As pups grow and begin to flap and climb, they can fall or become dislodged. Sometimes the mother accidentally drops them while carrying them in flight. Other times, the pup simply wriggles too far and ends up somewhere it shouldn’t.

Calls to the Helpline reveal a variety of scenarios: pups found on garden furniture, wedged behind shutters, or clinging to walls. Bad weather, a disturbed roost, or the presence of a predator like a cat can all lead to accidental separations.

Thankfully, many of these stories have happy endings. A quick response — following advice on our webpages — can make all the difference in reuniting a pup with its mum.

Want to know more? Look here: Help! I've found a bat.

A juvenile soprano pip stretched out on a grey cloth background.

Why a roost in your home is a gift, not a problem

Many baby bats are born in buildings, including homes. But despite the myths, bats are not pests. They don’t gnaw wires, damage wood, or spread disease. In fact, they’re clean, quiet houseguests and protected by law because they are so vulnerable to disturbance.

While some news stories paint bat roosts as an inconvenience, the reality is usually very different. Many homeowners and tenants share their property with bats without being alerted to their presence. In fact, sometimes bat workers find previously undetected roosts which have been around for decades!

Living with bats can even be a privilege. Knowing your home plays a part in the survival of species which have suffered huge historical population declines in the UK is an experience that many people describe as unexpectedly moving.

A network of care: volunteers behind every bat rescue

BCT doesn’t run a rescue service, but we support a UK-wide network of independent volunteers known as the Bat Care Network. This network of care includes those who look after grounded or injured bats until they are fit for release and bat ambulance drivers, who collect bats and deliver them to carers.

These dedicated individuals rehabilitate over 1,500 bats each year — most found by members of the public.

Volunteers work independently, with local bat groups, or with wildlife rescue centres often learning through informal mentoring from experienced carers. By joining the Network, they ensure that when someone finds a bat in need, help is close at hand.

Each rescue offers not just a second chance for a bat, but often a first encounter for someone discovering just how extraordinary these animals really are.