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Greater Mouse-eared Bat | Daily Animal Facts

Animal profile

Greater Mouse-eared Bat

Myotis myotis

MammaliaOpen woodland and grazed meadow for foraging; large attics, church roofs and caves for roostingLeast Concern

Field profile

The greater mouse-eared bat is one of Europe's largest bats, with a wingspan around 40 centimetres. It hunts ground-dwelling beetles rather than aerial insects, taking prey from bare soil and short grass. Large maternity colonies gather in attics, where hundreds of females raise young together.

Scope note

This is an editorial profile, not a diagnostic field-identification guide or a substitute for current conservation assessments. Follow the cited sources on each fact for the evidence trail.

Published field notes

2022-12-30

Greater Mouse-eared Bat

Europe's big Myotis hunts beetles on the ground

Not every insectivorous bat catches things in the air. The greater mouse-eared bat listens for the footsteps of carabid beetles walking on bare soil, drops onto them, and takes prey from the ground rather than from flight.

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