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Common pipistrelle - PIPISTRELLUS PIPISTRELLUS
Class: Animals with Milk Glands (Mammalia)
The Name "Bat": "Bat" comes from Old Norse "ledhrblaka," "leather flapper." It became "bakka" and then "bat."
Description: Small and robust, this bat has a short, dark muzzle; small ears, tragus (ear flap) straight with broadly rounded tip; glandular swelling on each side of face; tip of long tail free from tail membrane. Fur long, uniformly brown, may be slightly lighter beneath. Length of head and body about 1.6 in, forearm about 1.2 in; weight 0.1-0.3 oz.
Location: Western Europe to western Asia.
Habitat: Nearly all situations.
Behavior: The most abundant bat in the British Isles and one of the most common in Europe, the tiny pipistrelle roosts singly or in small colonies up to several hundred in number, often with other species. It favors hollow trees or under loose bark, buildings, under roofs, but is rarely found in caves. It forages throughout the night, and in spring and autumn may be seen flying about in midday as well, seeking small insects such as gnats and crane flies. Common pipistrellas hibernate in winter and sometimes migrate more than 1000 miles between seasonal roosting sites.
Reproduction: Most young are born in July after a gestation period of about 6 weeks, and reach sexual maturity in 2 years. A single offspring is usual in Britain; twins are common in northern and central Europe.
Go to the Bats Page to get a general discussion of this flying mammal.
Go to the Bats Index to study the other bats included in America Zoo.
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