Brown Long-Eared Bat (Plecotus auritus)

The brown long-eared bat is a medium sized bat with ears that are nearly as long as its body. As with all UK bats, they are nocturnal and only come out at night to feed on midges, moths, and other flying insects. They roost in holes in trees and old buildings, and feed in parks, gardens and woodlands. In the summer, females form maternity colonies and have a single pup each. Bat pups are born from late June to July and become independent after six weeks. Brown long-eared bats have greyish-brown fur and big eats. They have a slow, fluttery flight. While at rest, they curl their ears back or tuck them under their wings. They are some of the most common bats in the UK, but they are threatened by loss of their woodland habitats, which deprives them of roost sites and hunting grounds.

• A dropping sample with sufficient biological material to be used as a reserve is required in case the extraction is unsuccessful the first time. The fresher a sample is, the more likely the test will be able to extract viable DNA.
• Samples can be taken using a bat dropping collection kit or using your own secure containers/resources.