Bats at Brandy Hole Copse
Page first published 14th September 2025.
The 18 bat species known to live in the UK are listed below, together with whether or not there are records of them using Brandy Hole Copse. Species' status information is taken from the
Sussex Bat Group website (as at 14th September 2025). Record information comes from Sussex Biodiversity Record Centre (SxBRC) Ecological Data Search dated 2nd April 2025 in respect of Brandy Hole Copse Local Nature Reserve.
Useful websites include:
It is clear that we have an absence of information about bats roosting and/or foraging in the Copse, although the few records there are show 9 of the UK's 18 bat species having been spotted there. Visit SxBRC's
website to find out more about their work and be encouraged to make and submit your own records of what you find. (Every record matters, whether a random observation, a habit, or the discipline of an intentional survey.) Bats are primarily identified to species level by their calls through the use of a bat detector, but it is possible to submit a record of a bat without knowing what species it is. SxBRC has only received 6 such records in the period 1987 to 2022.
Alcathoe whiskered bat (Myotis alcathoe)
Status in Sussex: Very rare – hardly known
Status in UK: Only recently recognised in UK
Recorded in Brandy Hole Copse: NO
Barbastelle (Barbastella barbastellus)
Status in Sussex:
Very rare, widespread
Status in UK:
Very rare, widespread E/W
Recorded in Brandy Hole Copse:
YES (2022; 3 records each of 1 bat present)
Bechstein’s (Myotis bechsteinii)
Status in Sussex: Very rare
Status in UK: Very rare, southern
Recorded in Brandy Hole Copse: NO
Brandt’s (Myotis brandtii)
Status in Sussex: Scarce, widespread
Status in UK:
Widespread, scarce E/W
Recorded in Brandy Hole Copse: NO
Brown long-eared (Plecotus auritus)
Status in Sussex: Relatively abundant, widespread
Status in UK: Widespread, relatively abundant
Recorded in Brandy Hole Copse:
YES (1 record in 2011)
Common pipistrelle (Pipistrellus pipistrellus)
Status in Sussex: Abundant, widespread
Status in UK: Widespread, abundant
Recorded in Brandy Hole Copse: YES (1 record in 1999)
Daubenton’s (Myotis daubentonii)
Status in Sussex: Fairly abundant, widespread
Status in UK:
Widespread, fairly abundant
Recorded in Brandy Hole Copse: YES (1 record in 1999)
Greater horseshoe (Rhinolophus ferrumequinum)
Status in Sussex: Very rare
Status in UK: Very rare, in SW (E, W)
Recorded in Brandy Hole Copse: NO
Greater mouse-eared (Myotis myotis)
Status in Sussex: Very rare (only one individual was known for years; a second was recorded in January 2023)
Status in UK:
Very rare (only found in Sussex - see above)
Recorded in Brandy Hole Copse: NO
Read more about this rarest of UK bats, found hibernating within foraging distance of Brandy Hole Copse, here.
Grey long-eared (Plecotus austriacus)
Status in Sussex: Rare, south coast areas
Status in UK: Rare, mainly southern coastal areas
Recorded in Brandy Hole Copse: NO (there is 1 record of a Long-eared bat species in 2011; this could be either a Grey or Brown long-eared bat)
Leisler’s (Nyctalus leisleri)
Status in Sussex: Rarely recorded
Status in UK: Scarce but widespread to southern S
Recorded in Brandy Hole Copse:
YES
(1 record of 1 bat in 2007)
Lesser horseshoe (Rhinolophus hipposideros)
Status in Sussex: One record
Status in UK: Rare, mainly SW E and W
Recorded in Brandy Hole Copse: NO
Natterer’s (Myotis nattereri)
Status in Sussex: Scarce, widespread
Status in UK:
Scarce, widespread
Recorded in Brandy Hole Copse: YES (1 record in 1999)
Nathusius’s pipistrelle (Pipistrellus nathusii)
Status in Sussex: Scarce, widespread
Status in UK:
Scarce, widespread, includes migrants
Recorded in Brandy Hole Copse: NO
Noctule (Nyctalus noctula)
Status in Sussex: Uncommon, widespread
Status in UK:
Uncommon, widespread, not S
Recorded in Brandy Hole Copse: YES (1 record in 1999)
Serotine (Eptesicus serotinus)
Status in Sussex: Uncommon, widespread
Status in UK:
Uncommon, widespread, southern E
Recorded in Brandy Hole Copse:
YES
(1 record in 1999)
Soprano pipistrelle (Pipistrellus pygmaeus)
Status in Sussex: Fairly common, widespread
Status in UK:
Fairly common, widespread
Recorded in Brandy Hole Copse: NO
Whiskered (Myotis mystacinus)
Staus in Sussex: Scarce, widespread
Status in UK:
Scarce, widespread, not S
Recorded in Brandy Hole Copse:
YES (1 record in 1999)