Bat Babies

Female bats gather in groups in May or June in maternity roosts. Here each bat gives birth to her single baby at about the same time, usually in June or July, though not every bat has a baby every year. The new baby can weigh a third of the weight of its mother. A baby pipistrelle is about the size of a bee.

In a few days the baby's fur grows and its eyes open. Although it soon begins to crawl around the roost it cannot fly, and feeds only on its mother's milk. In a few weeks it starts to fly and catch insects for itself, but still tops up with milk from its mother for a while.

In August the babies are weaned. First the adults then the young leave the maternity roost and spread out to use other roosts.

Young pipistrelle bat about 3 days old.