Bats' wings are adapted hands, with skin stretching between elongated fingers.

Life span
Maximum of 24 years.

Statistics
Body length: 3.5-4.8cm, Wingspan: 20-25cm, Weight: 5-9g.

Physical description
Whiskered bats have dark brown upper-parts with greyish white under-parts. Their faces, ears and wing membranes are dark grey/black. They are very similar to Brandt's bat and were only found to be a different species in 1970.

Distribution
Whiskered bats are widespread across Europe (except for central and northern Scotland and northern Scandinavia).

Habitat
They occupy wooded areas and open country, including parks and gardens.

Diet
Whiskered bats emerge from their roosts to hunt at dusk. They feed on insects such as midges, beetles and moths.

Behaviour
In the summer they roost in buildings, and in the winter they hibernate in caves, tunnels, mines and cellars. They hibernate from October to March. Their flight is fluttery and relatively slow.

Reproduction
Whiskered bats mate while in the hibernaculum, and females move to nursery sites in May. The young are born in mid-June and leave the nurseries at the end of August.

Conservation status
Whiskered bats are not listed by the IUCN.