Natterer's bat
Myotis nattereri
Natterer's bat is a medium-sized Myotis species characterized by light grey to brown dorsal fur and nearly white underparts. A prominent feature is the dense fringe of short bristles along the trailing edge of the tail membrane and an S-shaped calcar. It prefers open woodlands, parks, and habitats near water bodies. During summer, it utilizes tree hollows or buildings as roosting sites.
Details
Identification
Fringed tail membrane, S-shaped calcar, long tragus, bright white belly.
Social behavior
Forms nursery colonies of 20 to 50 females; males often live in smaller groups or solitary.
Diet
Insectivorous; feeds on flies, mosquitoes, spiders, beetles, and moths.
Hunting strategy
Gleaning (picking prey from leaves and bark) as well as aerial hawking.
Overwintering
Hibernation in damp cellars, tunnels, caves, or wall crevices at temperatures of 2-8 degrees Celsius.
Ecology
Ecological role
Important insectivore contributing to the regulation of insect populations in forest ecosystems.
Natural predators
Owls (e.g., Tawny Owl), martens, domestic cats.
Competitor species
Other Myotis species such as Daubenton's bat or Bechstein's bat.
Ecosystem service
Biological pest control by consuming large quantities of insects.
Threats
Loss of roosts due to building renovation, intensive forestry, and the use of insecticides.
Scientific profile
Profile
Distinguishing features
Characteristic fringe of short, stiff hairs along the trailing edge of the tail membrane (uropatagium). The calcar is distinctly S-shaped and about half the length of the tail membrane.
Habitat
Highly structured landscapes with high forest cover (deciduous and mixed forests), parks, orchards, and proximity to water. Prefers forest edges and vegetation-rich foraging areas.
Diet
Insectivorous; diet consists of Diptera (midges, flies), Lepidoptera (moths), Coleoptera (beetles), as well as spiders and harvestmen.
Protection & threats
Main threats
Loss of roosts due to building renovation and modern forestry (removal of hollow trees); use of pesticides; fragmentation of flight corridors.
Population trend
Stable; widely distributed and regionally common in Central Europe, but locally threatened by loss of roosting sites.
Conservation measures
Protection and preservation of old-growth and hollow trees; bat-friendly renovation of buildings; avoidance of insecticides in forests; habitat connectivity.