UK bats 

We are lucky enough to have 18 species of bat in the UK, 17 of which are known to be breeding here – that's almost a quarter of our mammal species.

All these bats feed on insects, some of which are garden pests or nuisance insects, such as mosquitoes. Bats mostly catch insects on the wing, using echo location to home in on their prey. Some bats will pick off insects that are resting on foliage. Here are three of the most common:

Noctule

This bat has long narrow wings and flies in a straight line, very high and fast. It's our biggest bat, but it's still smaller than the palm of your hand!

Listen to a noctule

Common pipistrelle

Pipistrelles are the commonest British bats, weighing around 5 grams (less than a £1 coin).  A single pipistrelle can eat 3,000 tiny insects in just one night!
 
Listen to a pipistrelle

Brown long-eared bat

This bat's huge ears provide exceptionally sensitive hearing – it can even hear a ladybird walking on a leaf!

Listen to a Brown long-eared