Perception Channels: tactile ; chemical
The Common Pipistrelle is endangered in Austria and Germany, even though it is very common in other areas of Europe. It is important to protect the maternal roosting sites in order to ensure the continual survival of this species.
US Federal List: no special status
CITES: no special status
IUCN Red List of Threatened Species: least concern
Like other bat species, the Common Pipistrelle is an important aspect of ecological systems. They are important predators of insects, helping to keep insect populations in check.
Like other microchiropterans, Pipistrellus pipistrellus uses echolocation to locate its prey. It usually follows a set flight path each day, hunting over ponds and gardens where insects are usually located. The Common pipistrelle feeds on mosquitos, small moths and other insects.
Pipistrellus pipistrellus, or the Common Pipistrelle, is found throughout Europe, including the northern countries, such as England, Ireland and even reaching Southern Scandinavia. Its range extends eastward through Asia to China and perhaps Korea, Japan, and Taiwan.
Biogeographic Regions: palearctic (Native ); oriental (Native )
This species is very common in both towns and cities. It can also be found in parks and forests. During the summer months, it can be found in cracks on the outside of buildings, behind shutters, and unfinished houses. Pipistrellus pipistrellus have been discovered in winter roosts in churches, limestone mines, cracks in walls, and cellars.
Terrestrial Biomes: savanna or grassland ; forest
Average lifespan
Status: wild: 9.0 years.
The Common Pipistrelle is one of the smallest bats. It has a wingspan between 180-240mm, and its wings are narrow. Like other bats in the Vespertilionidae, Pipistrellus pipistrellus has a tragus, and in this species, the tragus is rounded at the top and quite long. The pelage is usually brown, but other colors, such as chesnut and dark brown have also been observed. Their wing and tail membranes are dark brown, and they do not have any fur on them. Cranial characertistics include a dental formula of 2/3,1/1,2/2,3/3, no postorbital process, and a separated premaxillae that is fused to the maxillae.
Range mass: 3.5 to 8 g.
Other Physical Features: endothermic ; bilateral symmetry
Females of this species become sexually mature in their first year and mate, while males usually become sexually mature in their second year. During the mating season (late August to late September) females can be found roosting in maternity roosts. Within these roosts, males occupy a and defend a specific territory. Courtship includes courtship flights and the emission of a strong musky odor by the males. If mating occurs at an inopportune time, females are able to delay the onset of fertilization by a process called delayed fertilization, which is a common characteristic in the Vespertilionidae. Females usually give birth to twins in June to early July. These youngsters are able to fly by three to four weeks of age.
Range number of offspring: 1 to 2.
Range gestation period: 35 to 51 days.
Average weaning age: 42 days.
Key Reproductive Features: seasonal breeding ; gonochoric/gonochoristic/dioecious (sexes separate); sexual ; viviparous ; sperm-storing
Average birth mass: 1.125 g.
Average number of offspring: 1.2.
Average age at sexual or reproductive maturity (male)
Sex: male: 456 days.
Average age at sexual or reproductive maturity (female)
Sex: female: 456 days.
The common pipistrelle (Pipistrellus pipistrellus) is a small pipistrelle microbat whose very large range extends across most of Europe, North Africa, South Asia, and may extend into Korea.[2] It is one of the most common bat species in the British Isles. In Europe, the northernmost confirmed records are from southern Finland near 60°N.[3]
In 1999, the common pipistrelle was split into two species on the basis of different-frequency echolocation calls. The common pipistrelle uses a call of 45 kHz, while the soprano pipistrelle echolocates at 55 kHz. Since the two species were distinguished, a number of other differences, in appearance, habitat and food, have also been discovered.
It was described as a new species in 1774 by German naturalist Johann Christian Daniel von Schreber. Schreber initially placed it in the genus Vespertilio, calling it Vespertilio pipistrellus.[4] In 1839, Keyserling and Blasius reclassified the species, naming it Vesperugo pipistrellus.[5] This classification stood until 1897, when Miller placed the species into the genus Pipistrellus, where it remains as Pipistrellus pipistrellus.[6] Its species name "pipistrellus" is derived from the Italian word pipistrello, which means "bat."
The soprano pipistrelle, Pipistrellus pygmaeus, was formerly considered synonymous with the common pipistrelle. In 1999,[7] it was formally split from the common pipistrelle based on differing echolocation signatures and a genetic divergence of 11%.[8] Despite being different species, the common pipistrelle and the soprano pipistrelle are able to hybridize, based on genetic analysis conducted in Poland.[9]
The common pipistrelle is a very small species of bat. Its forearm is 27.7–32.2 mm (1.09–1.27 in) long. It has a short muzzle.[10] It is 3.5–5.2 cm (1.4–2.0 in) long along the head-and-body, with the tail adding 2.3–3.6 cm (0.91–1.42 in). The body mass can range from 3.5 to 8.5 g (0.12 to 0.30 oz), with the wingspan ranging from 18 to 25 cm (7.1 to 9.8 in).[11] Its brown fur is variable in tone. It is common in woodland and farmland but is also found in towns, where the females roost in lofts and buildings when rearing young.
Males attract females by creating courtship territories approximately 200 m (660 ft) in diameter; these territories are maintained from mid-July through the end of October, with particularly intense activity in September. Courtship territories are usually in the vicinity of popular winter roosts for the species. Males will patrol these territories while "singing" to attract the attention of female bats as they travel to winter roosts. Male courtship territories are densely-packed, offering female choice akin to a lek mating system.[12] While copulation occurs in the fall, fertilization does not occur until after its hibernation due to female sperm storage.[13] Females are pregnant in May and June. Pregnant females form large aggregations in roosts, called maternity colonies. Colonies can consist of dozens or hundreds of individuals. Parturition usually occurs in June.[14] The litter size is usually one young, called a pup, though in some populations, twins are regularly produced.[15] Females nurse their pups through July; pups are usually weaned by August.[14] Females reach sexual maturity at one year of age.[15]
The common pipistrelle is an edge specialist, preferring to forage along woodland edges and along isolated tree lines.[16] It is insectivorous, preying on flies, caddisflies, lacewings, and mayflies.[17] Mosquitoes, midges, and gnats are particularly favored prey items.[18]
The frequencies used by this bat species for echolocation lie between 45 and 76 kHz, have most energy at 47 kHz and have an average duration of 5.6 ms.[19][20]
It has a Palearctic distribution.[1] It occurs in the British Isles, southern Scandinavia, much of Continental Europe, and parts of Northwest Africa. It is also found in India, China, and Myanmar in Asia.[1]
It has been called the most common and abundant species of bat in Continental Europe and the United Kingdom.[15] Notably, however, these judgments were made before it was split into two species in 1999. The common pipistrelle is considered least concern by the IUCN. It meets the criteria for this classification because it has a large geographic range and a presumed large population. As of 2008, the IUCN noted that there was no evidence of a rapid population decline.[1] However, it is a species of conservation concern in the United Kingdom, where the government created a Species Action Plan to restore its population to pre-1979 levels. Its decline in the UK has been attributed to loss of foraging habitat due to agriculture intensification.[14]
Dick, A. and Roche, N. 2017 Google Earth and Google Street View reveal differences in Pipistrellus pipistrellus and Pipistrellus pygmaeus roadside habitat use in Ireland. Irish Naturalists' Journal 35(2) 83 – 93
The common pipistrelle (Pipistrellus pipistrellus) is a small pipistrelle microbat whose very large range extends across most of Europe, North Africa, South Asia, and may extend into Korea. It is one of the most common bat species in the British Isles. In Europe, the northernmost confirmed records are from southern Finland near 60°N.
In 1999, the common pipistrelle was split into two species on the basis of different-frequency echolocation calls. The common pipistrelle uses a call of 45 kHz, while the soprano pipistrelle echolocates at 55 kHz. Since the two species were distinguished, a number of other differences, in appearance, habitat and food, have also been discovered.
Pipistrellus pipistrellus in flight 
Pipistrellus pipistrellus baby
