Broad-winged bat
| Broad-winged bat | ||||||||||||
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Broad-winged bat ( Eptesicus serotinus ) |
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| Eptesicus serotinus | ||||||||||||
| ( Schreber , 1774) |
The broad-winged bat ( Eptesicus serotinus ) is a bat species from the genus of the broad-winged bat ( Eptesicus ), which is assigned to the smooth-nosed family (Vespertilionidae).
features
The broad-winged bats are characterized by a black-brown to black face, dark ears and flight membranes . The back fur color varies from light smoke brown to dark black brown. The peritoneum is a little lighter and often yellow-brown in color.
With a head-trunk length between 6 and 8 centimeters, the broad-winged bats belong to the larger European bat species. The animals have a wingspan of 32 to 38 centimeters and weigh between 14 and 35 grams.
This species owes its name to its broad, rounded wings, which make its flight silhouette characteristic and enable it to be differentiated from other species such as the noctule bat.
The search calls in low-obstacle flight have a main frequency of 24-27 kHz. In flight with many obstacles, higher main frequencies between 30 and 35 kHz are reached. Social calls have frequencies between 15 and 28 kHz.
- Audio sample: (download)
distribution
The broad-winged bats are distributed from the Mediterranean in the south over all of Europe up to a distribution limit north of the 55th parallel in the north. The limit of distribution runs through southern England and southern Sweden . In the north of Great Britain as well as in Finland , Norway , the Baltic States and some parts of southern France, this species has not yet been detected. Outside Europe, it also occurs in northern Africa and large parts of Asia (up to Korea , Taiwan and Thailand ).
Diet and hunting behavior
The main food of the broad-winged bat varies with the season. Mostly, there is the food of larger beetles - (Coleoptera) and butterflies (Lepidoptera), where in May and June beetle ( Melolontha ) and Junebug ( Rhizotrogus ) and in August moth , manure ( Aphodius ) and dung beetle species ( Geotrupes ) are the main prey. The broad-winged bat can catch its prey both on the ground and in flight.
The hunt starts at dusk 20–30 minutes after sunset when they leave their quarters. The bats can cover a distance of up to 8 km to their hunting grounds on individual routes. They fly slowly (15 km / h) and at a height of 3–5 meters. They often hunt in groups, the hunting areas include gardens, forest edges, street lamps, meadows, large individual trees or even bodies of water.
No hunting trips take place in the event of heavy precipitation and temperatures below 10 ° C.
Quarters
Broad-winged bat groups have up to a few dozen roosts. These are often changed, whereby the optimal temperature of the neighborhood plays a major role. Other factors are disturbances and probably feces and parasites.
The broad-winged bat prefers warm crevices on and in buildings as summer roosts. These quarters can be located behind facade cladding, rain gutters, attics or the like.
Adult males are often found alone or in small groups in roosts. The females are mostly found in the company of other females in groups of up to a few dozen animals. The young are usually born and suckled in the company of other females in so-called maternity rooms. When changing roosts, the bat children cling to their mothers. In the well-known large bat winter quarters (e.g. cellars, bunkers or attics), where for example water bats ( Myotis daubentonii ) or noctule bat ( Nyctalus ) hibernate, only a few or a few broad-winged bats can be found. Little is known about the winter quarters of the broad-winged bats. There are indications that some summer quarters are also used for wintering.
The broad-winged bat is one of the local species. She doesn't go on long hikes.
Reproduction
It is not yet clear when the animals reach sexual maturity. It is assumed, however, that the males reach sexual maturity after the first hibernation . It is currently unclear whether the females reach sexual maturity before or after their first hibernation. The time of mating is also still the subject of research.
The young are born in June and are fully fledged after four to five weeks and independent after six weeks.
threat
The broad-winged bat is under nature protection . One of the main problems for the native bats is the lack of suitable day and winter sleeping quarters as well as roosts for nurseries in which the young are born and are cared for by the mother until they are independent. Extensive facade renovations reduce the number of possible roosts for the broad-winged bat. In addition, broad-winged bats can be caught by cats when crawling out of their roosts.
literature
- Wilfried Schober, Eckhard Grimmberger: The bats of Europe. Kosmos Verlag, Stuttgart 1998, ISBN 3-440-07597-4 .
- Reinald Skiba : European bats. Westarp Wissenschaften-Verlagsgesellschaft, Hohenwarsleben 2003.
Web links
- Diploma thesis on the roaming behavior of the broad-winged bats of a Berlin nursery society ( Memento from June 29, 2014 in the Internet Archive )
- Well illustrated page on bogon-naturfoto.de
- Broad-winged bat at NABU Schleswig-Holstein
- Eptesicus serotinus in the endangered Red List species the IUCN 2006. Posted by: Chiroptera Specialist Group, 1996. Retrieved on 10 May, 2006.