Hibernation Roosts - Bat Conservation Trust

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The National Bat Helpline can answer your questions and concerns about bats and give you advice.

0345 1300 228

We are partially closed Friday 2nd January and are only able to take your urgent bat care queries today. Thank you for your patience. 

Normal opening hours: 

Monday to Friday 9:30am to 4.30pm  

There is also an Out of Hours Helpline which is run by volunteers between May - September and is for emergency calls only: 

Weekdays 6pm to 10pm

Weekends and bank holidays 10am to 10pm

You can also email [email protected] - please note, we unfortunately do not have capacity to reply to questions which are already answered on our website. 

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Bat roosts

• What is a roost?
• Maternity roosts
• Hibernation roosts

• Roosts in trees
• Roosts in buildings
• Underground roosts

1. About Bats
2. Where do bats live?
3. Bat roosts
4. Hibernation roosts

Hibernation roosts

In winter, bats go into hibernation. Hibernation is an extended period of deep sleep (or torpor) that allows animals to survive cold winters with harsh weather. A bat’s body temperature lowers and their metabolic rate slows, meaning they use less energy and can survive on the fat they have stored up instead of trying to forage for food. During hibernation, bats need roosts that are cool and remain at a constant temperature. They often move into underground sites, such as caves.

• Pipistrelles are our most common bats, but we don’t know where they all go in winter! We have not found enough hibernation roosts to account for the numbers we see in the summer months.
• Bats mate during the autumn and sometimes into the winter when they hibernate. The females then store the sperm and do not become pregnant until the spring.
• In North America, white-nose syndrome has been associated with the deaths of 5.5 million bats since 2006. The fungus grows on hibernating bats, irritating and possibly dehydrating them so they wake up. Being aroused from hibernation costs the bats a lot of energy, which makes them lose body fat and can lead to starvation.

Anita Glover

Next: Roosts in trees

Where do bats live?

• Bat roosts
• Bat habitats
• Where to see bats

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A year in the life of a bat

National Bat Helpline0345 1300 228

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The Bat Conservation Trust (known as BCT) is a registered charity in England and Wales (1012361) and in Scotland (SC040116).

Company Limited by Guarantee, Registered in England No: 2712823. Registered office: Bat Conservation Trust, Studio 15 Cloisters House, Cloisters Business Centre, 8 Battersea Park Road, London, SW8 4BG. Vat Reg No: 877158773.

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