Brown Big-eared Bat (Plecotus auritus) lives in temperate forests across Europe and Asia. It feeds on insects and spiders. Its conservation status is Least Concern.
Fascinating facts about the Brown Big-eared Bat
- The brown long-eared bat's ears measure between 3.3 and 3.9 cm, a dimension that instantly sets it apart from most other bat species. Their long, folded shape not only gives the species its name but also provides a large surface for detecting faint sounds. Combined with its relatively large eyes, these ears enable the bat to locate insects in cluttered woodland without relying on echolocation.
- Brown long-eared bats locate most of their prey by sight and passive listening rather than by echolocation. Experiments showed they could not detect insects when only sonar cues were present, preferring situations where visual information was also available. Their large eyes and ears allow them to spot moths, earwigs and beetles on leaves and bark, especially in the dim light of dusk.
- When the brown long-eared bat does emit echolocation calls, they sweep from 27 to 56 kHz, with most energy concentrated around 35 kHz and each pulse lasting about 2.5 ms. Despite producing these calls, the species does not use them to find prey, relying instead on its keen eyesight and hearing.
- The brown long-eared bat can detect the faint flutter of a moth in flight, a sensitivity that lets it capture insects that have learned to dodge sonar. Its hunting relies on hearing alone, a strategy that developed because some moths can hear bat echolocation and flee. By using passive listening instead of sonar, the bat gains an advantage in the cluttered understory where visual cues are limited.
- In towns the brown long-eared bat often roosts in undisturbed roof spaces, sometimes alone but frequently in tight groups around chimneys and ridge ends. It also uses crevices, timber and clusters of roof space, and in the countryside it occupies treeholes, bat boxes and caves that serve as winter hibernation sites. The bats usually leave the roost in darkness about an hour after sunset.
Sources
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At a glance
RangeEurope and Asia
HabitatTemperate forests
DietInsects and spiders
About the Brown Big-eared Bat
In the whispering twilight, the Brown Big-eared Bat unfurls its leathery wings, a delicate silhouette against the fading light, as it takes to the skies with an effortless flutter. With ears as large as its body, this diminutive creature navigates the complex tapestry of sound that fills the nocturnal world, its acute hearing guiding it through the darkened landscape in search of insects to snatch from the air. As it flits and weaves, its big ears twitching with every nuance of sound, the Brown Big-eared Bat embodies the very essence of adaptability, a tiny, winged marvel of evolution.
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