Serotine bats are one of the largest British species, and are one of the first to emerge in the evening.

Life span
The maximum recorded age was 19 years.

Statistics
Body length: 6.2-8.2cm, Wingspan: 32-38cm, Weight: 15-35g.

Physical description
Serotines are relatively large bats. They have long dark-brown fur, with a yellow-brown underside. The ears and nose are black, and the wing membranes are dark-brown.

Distribution
Serotines inhabit almost all of Europe. In the UK they are restricted to the south of England.

Habitat
Their typical habitat is mainly open country, parkland, woodland and hedgerows.

Diet
They emerge at early dusk to feed on moths and beetles. They sometimes make two foraging trips a night.

Behaviour
In the summer, serotines roost in tree hollows and attics. In the winter, they hibernate in tree hollows, caves, old mines and cellars. They have a relatively slow, looping flight.

Reproduction
The mating season begins at the end of August, and the nursery roosts are occupied from April-May. In Europe, the females give birth to one young, but in Asia, they typically have two and occasionally three young. The young can fly after three weeks but do not become independent of their mothers until they are five weeks old. They leave the nursery roosts at the end of August.

Conservation status
Serotine bats are not on the IUCN Red List of threatened species.