The lesser horseshoe bat was once a cave-dweller, but now tends to roost in
old buildings, such as stables and barns. It is rare in the UK and,
like many other bats, declining in number.
About
Formerly
a cave-dweller, the lesser horseshoe bat now tends to roost in old
houses, churches, stables and barns. All UK bats are nocturnal, feeding
on midges, moths and other flying insects that they find in the dark by
using echolocation. Lesser horseshoe bats feed amongst vegetation in
lowland valleys, rarely flying more than five metres above the ground.
They may take large prey back to a roost or perch. From May, mixed-sex
maternity colonies are formed, and the females have a single pup. Lesser
horseshoe bats hibernate over the winter in caves, disused mines,
tunnels and cellars.How to identify
One
of our smallest bats, the lesser horseshoe bat is the size of a plum.
Like the greater horseshoe bat, it has a characteristically fleshy nose
that is shaped like a horseshoe. Its fur is grey-brown on its back and
white underneath.Distribution
Confined to Wales, western England and western Ireland.Did you know?
The generic name of the
lesser horseshoe bat, Rhinolophus, is derived from the Greek meaning
'nose crest'; the specific name, hipposideros, means 'horse-iron' or
horseshoe. This name refers to the complex noseleaf of this bat, which
is thought to focus the echolocation pulses that it emits to find its
prey.
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