Gray long-eared bat

Rights Managed

SS2626905

JA8726

Gray long-eared bats (Plecotus austriacus) are found only in Europe, ranging from Portugal to Moldova and from Moldova and from Denmark to Greece. These bats are often solitary but may form nursery colonies of 10 to 30 females. This is a relatively sedentary species that occupies a wide variety of roosts and habitats. In summer, it roosts mostly in tree cavities and buildings and may also use caves during winter hibernation. It feeds mostly on moths in lowland valleys, including in agricultural landscapes. It is very similar to the Brown long-eared bat, from which it was first distinguished in the 1960s.

MerlinTuttle.org / Science Source