Brandt's bats are very closely related to whiskered bats, and were only recognised as being of a separate species in 1970.

Life span
Maximum of 20 years.

Statistics
Body length: 3.7-4.8cm, Wingspan: 21-25cm, Weight:4.3-8.3g.

Physical description
Brandt's bats are a light reddish-brown colour, with a gold sheen on the upper-parts and light grey/buff underneath. The nose, ears and wing membranes are light brown. They are very similar in appearance to the whiskered bat, and were only recognised as a separate speices in 1970.

Distribution
Their distribution is still uncertain, because they have been confused with the whiskered bat. They are known to inhabit England, southern Scotland, north east France, Belgium, west and east Germany, Scandinavia, Poland, Switzerland, Austria, Hungary and Bulgaria, and are widely distributed across Asia.

Habitat
They occupy wooded country.

Diet
They emerge from their roosts at dusk to hunt small moths and flies.

Behaviour
In the summer they roost in roofs, bat boxes and tree hollows, and in the winter they roost in caves, tunnels, mines and cellars. They hibernate from October to March.

Reproduction
They mate while in the hibernaculum, and females move to nursery sites in May. The young are dark grey at birth.

Conservation status
Brandt's bats are not listed by the IUCN.