Daubenton's myotis
Daubenton's bat (Myotis daubentonii) is a Eurasian bat that is considered to be increasing its numbers in many areas. It was first described in 1817 by Heinrich Kuhl, who named it in honor of French naturalist Louis-Jean-Marie Daubenton.
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NocturnalNocturnality is an animal behavior characterized by being active during the night and sleeping during the day. The common adjective is "nocturnal",...
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CarnivoreA carnivore meaning 'meat eater' is an organism that derives its energy and nutrient requirements from a diet consisting mainly or exclusively of a...
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InsectivoresAn insectivore is a carnivorous plant or animal that eats insects. An alternative term is entomophage, which also refers to the human practice of e...
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ArborealArboreal locomotion is the locomotion of animals in trees. In habitats in which trees are present, animals have evolved to move in them. Some anima...
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TerrestrialTerrestrial animals are animals that live predominantly or entirely on land (e.g., cats, ants, snails), as compared with aquatic animals, which liv...
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CongregatoryCongregatory animals tend to gather in large numbers in specific areas as breeding colonies, for feeding, or for resting.
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ViviparousAmong animals, viviparity is the development of the embryo inside the body of the parent. The term 'viviparity' and its adjective form 'viviparous'...
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PredatorPredators are animals that kill and eat other organisms, their prey. Predators may actively search for or pursue prey or wait for it, often conceal...
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AltricialAltricial animals are those species whose newly hatched or born young are relatively immobile. They lack hair or down, are not able to obtain food ...
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ColonialColonial animals live in large aggregations composed of two or more conspecific individuals in close association with or connected to, one another....
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Highly socialHighly social animals are those which are highly interactive with other members of their species. They live in large groups, nest in colonies, and ...
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HibernatingHibernation is a state of minimal activity and metabolic depression undergone by some animal species. Hibernation is a seasonal heterothermy charac...
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starts withDaubenton's bat is a medium-sized to small species. Their fluffy fur is brownish-grey on the back and silvery-grey on the underside. Juveniles have darker fur than adults. The bats have reddish-pink faces and noses, but the area around the eyes is bare. When these bats are agitated, their ears are held at right angles. Their wings and tail membrane are dark brown.
Daubenton's bats are found throughout Ireland and Europe, and as far as Japan and Korea. They prefer to live in woodlands and often choose roosts close to water sources such as rivers or canals. Summer colonies are formed in caves, tunnels, cellars, mines, and underneath bridges.
These bats are highly social creatures. They are nocturnal and emerge at twilight to hunt for insects over the water. They use echolocation to find prey and orient themselves at night. They often eat their prey while still in flight. Daubenton’s bats emit sounds too high in frequency for humans to detect, and interpret the echoes created to build a "sound picture" of their surroundings. They emit echolocation calls at frequencies between 32 and 85 kHz, though typical calls peak at 45 to 50 kHz; the calls have a duration of 3.3 ms. Daubenton's bats hibernate from September to late March or April.
Daubenton’s bats are carnivores (insectivores). Their diet consists mainly of non-biting midges and other midges, small flies, mayflies, and moths.
Daubenton’s bats breed in autumn and fertilization takes place the following spring. Females gather in maternity colonies of 40 to 80 bats during June and July. Young bats are able to fly 3 weeks after birth and reach independence when they are 6 to 8 weeks old.
There are no major threats to this species at present.
According to the IUCN Red List, Daubenton’s bat is widespread throughout its range but no overall population estimate is available. Currently, this species is classified as Least Concern (LC) on the IUCN Red List and its numbers today are stable.
