As their name suggests, long-eared bats have strikingly large ears, which are three quarters the length of the head and body. When resting, the ears are folded and held backwards.

Life span
The maximum recorded age is 30 years.

Statistics
Body length: 4.2-5.3cm, Wingspan: 24-28cm, Weight: 5-12g.

Physical description
The fur is a buff-brown colour, and they have a pink-brown face. The ears and wing membranes are a light grey-brown.

Distribution
Brown long-eared bats are distributed nearly all over Europe, although they are not recorded in Greece, southern Spain and southern Italy. They are widespread across Britain, with the exception of north and north west Scotland, and offshore islands.

Habitat
They range across coniferous and deciduous woodland, as well as orchards and parkland.

Diet
Long-eared bats emerge when it is dark. They feed in flight on moths and they also pluck caterpillars, spiders and other prey off twigs and leaves.

Behaviour
In the summer they roost in tree holes, bat and bird boxes, and attics. In the winter they hibernate in cellars, tunnels and caves, usually solitarily, from October to March/April. They have a slow and fluttering flight, and often fly close to the ground (which makes them vulnerable to predation from cats).

Reproduction
They mate in the autumn and give birth to one young in mid-June. They are weaned and able to fly by the end of July.

Conservation status
Brown long-eared bats are not considered to be threatened. They are the second commonest species of bat in Britain (after the pipistrelle).