The Whiskered Bat is one of our seventeen native bats found in England. It can be found throughout the country in open woodlands, meadows and grassland close to water. It is also found in mature rural gardens sometimes. It has its name the ‘Whiskered Bat' because it has whisker-like hairs on its snout.

The Whiskered Bat has a dark grey-black face and a pair of short grey-black pointed ears. It has long, fluffy dark brown fur on top and grey-white fur below. Its wings are grey-black and quite narrow. This bat is a rapid and accurate flier that likes to fly high. As it flies it seems to weave through the air.

In summer Whiskered Bats roost in buildings, in tree holes and in bat boxes. Sometimes they roost with Pipistrelle bats and Brown or Grey Long-eared Bats. They usually leave their roosts about half an hour to an hour after sunset and return at dawn. In winter they hibernate in caves and tunnels which are quite humid. This humidity often creates water droplets which fall on the fur of a Whiskered Bat. These droplets sparkle like jewels giving this bat the nickname the ‘jewelled bat’.