# Eurasian Serotine (*Cnephaeus serotinus*) The Eurasian Serotine is a friendly bat that loves to fly around at night. It has big ears and a soft, furry body, making it a cute little creature of the night sky! - **Category:** [Mammals](https://www.snappit.app/explore/categories/mammal) - **Rarity:** Common - **Danger:** 2/5 · Low - **Habitat:** Urban areas - **Also known as:** Serotine Bat ![Eurasian Serotine](https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?title=Special:Redirect/file/Eptesicus_serotinus.jpg&width=800) Photo: Mnolf, CC BY-SA 3.0 · [Wikimedia Commons](https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Eptesicus_serotinus.jpg) ## Appearance The Eurasian Serotine has dark brown fur with a darker, almost black face, ears, and wings. It is larger than many other European bats, with broad, leathery wings that make it easy to identify in flight. ## Taxonomy - **Kingdom:** Animalia - **Phylum:** Chordata - **Class:** Mammalia - **Order:** Chiroptera - **Family:** Vespertilionidae - **Genus:** Eptesicus ## Interesting facts - Serotine bats often choose attics, wall cavities, and cellars as cozy roosting spots. - Their powerful jaws allow them to crunch right through the hard shells of beetles. - They can live for almost 20 years, making them quite long-lived for a small bat! - They have a distinctive, slow-flapping flight style, like a butterfly in the night. ## Special abilities - **Sound Navigator:** Eurasian Serotine can 'see' with sound using echolocation, which helps them hunt insects in complete darkness. - **Night Glider:** Eurasian Serotine has broad wings that help them fly slowly and maneuverably to catch big insects in the air. - **Cold Sleeper:** Eurasian Serotine can hibernate for months to survive winter, which helps them conserve energy when insects are scarce. ## Measurements & details - **Length:** 6-8 cm - **Wingspan:** 32-38 cm - **Weight:** 0.015-0.035 kg - **Lifespan:** 15-20 years - **Speed:** 50 km/h - **Litter Size:** 1 - **Gestation:** 45-70 days ## Diet & Feeding Feasts on large flying insects like beetles and moths, catching them mid-air with agile skill. - **Primary Foods:** moths, dung beetles, cockchafers, caddisflies - **Foraging Method:** Pursuit ## Ecological connections - **Eaten by:** [Barn Owl](https://www.snappit.app/explore/barn-owl) (*Tyto alba*) — Owls are common predators of bats leaving their roosts. - **Eaten by:** [Tawny Owl](https://www.snappit.app/explore/tawny-owl) (*Strix aluco*) — This nocturnal bird hunts bats as they fly in the dark. - **Hunts:** [Common Cockchafer](https://www.snappit.app/explore/common-cockchafer) (*Melolontha melolontha*) — The Serotine bat actively pursues and eats these large beetles. - **Hunts:** [Large Yellow Underwing](https://www.snappit.app/explore/large-yellow-underwing) (*Noctua pronuba*) — Moths like this one are a primary food source for the bat. ## Traits - [Furry](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/furry): Furry describes animals possessing a dense covering of soft hair or fur. - [Social](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/social): Social animals live in organized groups, cooperating for survival benefits such as foraging, defense, and raising offspring. - [Insectivorous](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/insectivorous): This trait identifies organisms whose diet primarily consists of insects and other small invertebrates. - [Echolocation](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/echolocation): Echolocation is a biological sonar used by animals to navigate, hunt, and communicate by emitting sound waves and interpreting the echoes. - [Urban Friendly](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/urban-friendly): This habitat trait indicates species that can coexist with humans in urban and suburban environments, utilizing man-made structures and green spaces. - [Nocturnal](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/nocturnal): Nocturnal animals are primarily active during the nighttime hours, typically resting or sleeping during the day. ## Collections - [Mammals](https://www.snappit.app/explore/collections/mammals) ## Safety **Danger:** 2/5 · Low Bats are usually friendly, but it's best to watch them from a distance and not touch them. ## Frequently Asked Questions ### How to identify Eurasian Serotine? Compare ears, muzzle, tail, feet and coat markings. Size is hard to judge without something nearby for scale, and young mammals may not have adult coloring yet. Mammal Identifier: upload a photo and compare the visible details. ### How long is Eurasian Serotine? 6-8 cm ### What is Eurasian Serotine's wingspan? 32-38 cm ### How much does Eurasian Serotine weigh? 0.015-0.035 kg ### How long does Eurasian Serotine live? 15-20 years ### How fast can Eurasian Serotine move? 50 km/h ### What does Eurasian Serotine eat? Feasts on large flying insects like beetles and moths, catching them mid-air with agile skill. ### Where is Eurasian Serotine usually found? Urban areas ## More Mammals - [Eastern Fox Squirrel](https://www.snappit.app/explore/eastern-fox-squirrel) (*Sciurus niger*) - [Eastern Cottontail](https://www.snappit.app/explore/eastern-cottontail) (*Sylvilagus floridanus*) - [Eastern Chipmunk](https://www.snappit.app/explore/eastern-chipmunk) (*Tamias striatus*) - [California Ground Squirrel](https://www.snappit.app/explore/california-ground-squirrel) (*Otospermophilus beecheyi*) --- Source: [Eurasian Serotine: Facts & Places to See — Snappit](https://www.snappit.app/explore/eurasian-serotine)