British Bats
Parti-Coloured Bat Vesertillio murinus
| BAT STATS Head-Body Length- 4.8-6.4cm Weight- 12-20g Wingspan- 27-30cm |
 |
DESCRIPTION- This bat is so named because of the different colouring seen on its dorsal and ventral sides. The back is a dark black-browny colour, while the undersides are a silvery-grey. The throat is white. The two sides are distinctly marked from each other. It is a medium sized bat, with short broad ears and narrow shaped wings. The wing membrane and ears are a black-brown colour. It is a fast highflying bat.
DISTRIBUTION- The Parti-Coloured Bat is only an occasional visitor to Britain. It is strongly migrant, travelling long distances from Eastern Europe to the milder west in order to hibernate.
LIFESPAN- An average of 5 years.
HABITAT- It is found in woodland and farmland, and also particularly in mountainous areas. It has adapted to living in cities where it roosts in tall buildings. Its roosts are usually in buildings, cellars or caves. It hibernates in caves, sometimes in buildings.
BEHAVIOUR- Parti-Coloured Bats emerge at late dusk and fly rapidly in a straight line to its hunting grounds. It hunts at fairly high heights. Hibernation is between October and late March.
BREEDING- Nursery roosts with 30 to 60 females are established in May, but some females live singly and raise their young separately. During these times males congregate in large groups away from the females. Between 2 and 3 young are born per female, most being born in late July. The juveniles are darker in colour than the adults. The mating season is in the autumn.