Brandt’s Bat

Thought to be less common than the whiskered bat (Myotis mystacinus), Brandt’s bats are found throughout much of England and Wales and have recently been recorded in Ireland.

Brandt’s bats closely resemble whiskered bats and were only identified as a separate species in 1970. They are typically slightly larger than whiskered bats and occasionally share roof spaces with them, as well as with pipistrelles and brown long-eared bats.

Favouring crevices, Brandt’s bats can be found roosting in buildings under hanging tiles, within cavity walls, and beneath ridge tiles. They are also known to roost in trees and bat boxes.

Threats to the species include the loss of woodland habitats for roosting and feeding as well as the ecological impacts of modern farming practices. 

• A dropping sample with sufficient biological material to be used as a reserve is required in case the extraction is unsuccessful the first time: the fresher a sample is, the more likely the test will be able to extract viable DNA.
• Other viable sample types include fur/hair, tissue and blood.
• Samples can be taken using a bat dropping collection kit or using your own secure containers/resources.