Lesser horseshoe bat
Encyclopedia
The Lesser Horseshoe Bat (Rhinolophus hipposideros), is a type of Europe
an bat
related to but smaller than its cousin, the Greater Horseshoe Bat
. The species gets its name from its distinctive horseshoe
-shaped nose.
and hunt their prey by echolocation
, emitting ultrasound
from specialized round pads in their mouth.
The base of its fur, which is soft and fluffy, is light grey in colour, with dorsal side fur smoky brown and the ventral side grey, with the exception of juvenile bats which are entirely dark grey. Ears and wing membranes are a light greyish-brown.
When hunting they are quick and agile, often flying within five metres of the ground while avoiding contact with bushes and shrubs. The Lesser Horseshoe Bat eats small insects, most of which are gleaned from stones and branches. Their favorite types of prey include flies, moths
, and spiders.
during the winter months in dark caves, mines, old buildings, and sometimes in cellars.
Females become sexually mature within their first year, with a study in Czechoslovakia showing that about 15% of females give birth at one year of age. Animals have been seen to chase each other as a preliminary to mating, which is done with the male hanging himself behind and over the female.
Nurseries are often shared with other species, such as the Greater mouse-eared bat
, but there is no direct mixing with other species. The move to nurseries occurs from April onwards, with between 10 and 100 females present and between 2 and 20 males. Approximately two-thirds of females in a nursery roost give birth between mid-June and mid-July.
Its UK distribution can be found on the National Biodiversity Network website here
This species is in decline due to a number of factors, including the disturbance or destruction of roosts, changes in agricultural practices (such as the increased use of insecticide
s, which reduce prey availability) and the loss of suitable foraging habitat
s.
and Mehely's Horseshoe Bat
.
Europe
Europe is, by convention, one of the world's seven continents. Comprising the westernmost peninsula of Eurasia, Europe is generally 'divided' from Asia to its east by the watershed divides of the Ural and Caucasus Mountains, the Ural River, the Caspian and Black Seas, and the waterways connecting...
an bat
Bat
Bats are mammals of the order Chiroptera "hand" and pteron "wing") whose forelimbs form webbed wings, making them the only mammals naturally capable of true and sustained flight. By contrast, other mammals said to fly, such as flying squirrels, gliding possums, and colugos, glide rather than fly,...
related to but smaller than its cousin, the Greater Horseshoe Bat
Greater Horseshoe Bat
The Greater Horseshoe Bat is a European bat of the Rhinolophus genus. Its distribution covers Europe, Africa, South Asia and Australia. It is the largest of the European Horseshoe Bats and is thus easily distinguished from other species...
. The species gets its name from its distinctive horseshoe
Horseshoe
A horseshoe, is a fabricated product, normally made of metal, although sometimes made partially or wholly of modern synthetic materials, designed to protect a horse's hoof from wear and tear. Shoes are attached on the palmar surface of the hooves, usually nailed through the insensitive hoof wall...
-shaped nose.
Physical description
The Lesser Horseshoe Bat is one of the world's smallest bats, weighing only 5 to 9 grams, with a wingspan of 192-254 mm and a body length of 35-45 mm. It has strong feet that it uses to grasp rocks and branches, and can see well in spite of its small eyes. Like most bats, Lesser Horseshoe Bats live in coloniesColony (biology)
In biology, a colony reference to several individual organisms of the same species living closely together, usually for mutual benefit, such as stronger defense or the ability to attack bigger prey. Some insects live only in colonies...
and hunt their prey by echolocation
Animal echolocation
Echolocation, also called biosonar, is the biological sonar used by several kinds of animals.Echolocating animals emit calls out to the environment and listen to the echoes of those calls that return from various objects near them. They use these echoes to locate and identify the objects...
, emitting ultrasound
Ultrasound
Ultrasound is cyclic sound pressure with a frequency greater than the upper limit of human hearing. Ultrasound is thus not separated from "normal" sound based on differences in physical properties, only the fact that humans cannot hear it. Although this limit varies from person to person, it is...
from specialized round pads in their mouth.
The base of its fur, which is soft and fluffy, is light grey in colour, with dorsal side fur smoky brown and the ventral side grey, with the exception of juvenile bats which are entirely dark grey. Ears and wing membranes are a light greyish-brown.
When hunting they are quick and agile, often flying within five metres of the ground while avoiding contact with bushes and shrubs. The Lesser Horseshoe Bat eats small insects, most of which are gleaned from stones and branches. Their favorite types of prey include flies, moths
Moths
Moths may refer to:* Gustav Moths , German rower* The Moths!, an English indie rock band* MOTHS, members of the Memorable Order of Tin Hats...
, and spiders.
Mating
Lesser Horseshoe Bats mate in the autumn. Females give birth to one pup, normally between mid-June and the beginning of July. Pups weigh around 1.8 grams at birth, opening their eyes after around 10 days and becoming independent at six to seven weeks of age. The bats hibernateHibernation
Hibernation is a state of inactivity and metabolic depression in animals, characterized by lower body temperature, slower breathing, and lower metabolic rate. Hibernating animals conserve food, especially during winter when food supplies are limited, tapping energy reserves, body fat, at a slow rate...
during the winter months in dark caves, mines, old buildings, and sometimes in cellars.
Females become sexually mature within their first year, with a study in Czechoslovakia showing that about 15% of females give birth at one year of age. Animals have been seen to chase each other as a preliminary to mating, which is done with the male hanging himself behind and over the female.
Nurseries are often shared with other species, such as the Greater mouse-eared bat
Greater mouse-eared bat
The greater mouse-eared bat, Myotis myotis, is a European species of bat in the Vespertilionidae family.-Description:It is relatively large for a member of the Myotis genus, weighing up to , making it one of the largest European bats.-Foraging:Like its relatives it eats various arthropods;...
, but there is no direct mixing with other species. The move to nurseries occurs from April onwards, with between 10 and 100 females present and between 2 and 20 males. Approximately two-thirds of females in a nursery roost give birth between mid-June and mid-July.
Habitat
The Lesser Horseshoe Bat lives in warmer regions in foothills and highland, particular wooded areas or areas of limestone. In summer its habitats have been recorded up to 1160m above sea level, and up to 2000m in the winter, with the highest known nursery roost at 950m. The species are sedentary, with the average movement between summer and winter roosts between 5 and 10 kilometers, although the longest recorded distance is 153 kilometers.Its UK distribution can be found on the National Biodiversity Network website here
This species is in decline due to a number of factors, including the disturbance or destruction of roosts, changes in agricultural practices (such as the increased use of insecticide
Insecticide
An insecticide is a pesticide used against insects. They include ovicides and larvicides used against the eggs and larvae of insects respectively. Insecticides are used in agriculture, medicine, industry and the household. The use of insecticides is believed to be one of the major factors behind...
s, which reduce prey availability) and the loss of suitable foraging habitat
Habitat (ecology)
A habitat is an ecological or environmental area that is inhabited by a particular species of animal, plant or other type of organism...
s.
Echolocation
The frequencies used by this bat species for echolocation lie between 93-111 kHz, have most energy at 110 kHz and have an average duration of 31.7 ms. Due to the frequency of their echolocation calls there are overlaps with those of the Mediterranean Horseshoe BatMediterranean Horseshoe Bat
The Mediterranean Horseshoe Bat is a species of bat in the Rhinolophidae family. It is found in the Mediterranean region and balkan peninsula, as well as parts of Italy.-Physical characteristics:...
and Mehely's Horseshoe Bat
Mehely's Horseshoe Bat
Mehely's Horseshoe Bat is a species of bat in the Rhinolophidae family found in eastern Europe and parts of the Middle East.-Physical Appearance:...
.
External links
- ARKive Photographs, Video.
- Woodland Management For Bats Guide