Eptesicus serotinus (Schreber, 1774)

Godlevska, L., Rebrov, S., Vorobei, P., Savchenko, M. & Panchenko, P., 2022, Bats Of Central Ukraine: A Synopsis, Zoodiversity 56 (3), pp. 203-232 : 208-209

Eptesicus serotinus (Schreber, 1774)

Widely distributed and one of the most common, all year round occurring species in the region ( fig. 5).

Summer roosts are overground sections of man-made structures and, rarer, underground cavities. The study area entirely falls within the species breeding range. In total, breeding was found in 28 localities; we recorded it in 26 study localities in different parts of the study region.

Maternity roosts have been localised in attic cavities of public (used) buildings, cavities in overground sections of abandoned buildings ( Sologor, 1973; Annex).

In winter time, the species is regularly recorded in buildings (in inner rooms, at balconies, between window frames, etc.) and at the ground within built-up areas of settlements (Godlevska, 2012; 2015 b; Annex). Notably, old winter records of the species in the region (the earliest is dated by 1928) came from the territory of settlements; and the places of revealing of serotine bats were the same as those at present (collected specimens in the NMNH NASU). The species is also recorded hibernating in underground shelters ( Abelentsev & Popov, 1956; Godlevska et al., 2010; 2012; 2016). Usually, its number per one underground hibernaculum does not exceed few individuals. However, there is a known big winter aggregation of the species (> 100 individuals) in one of the limestone mines in the Dniester subregion ( Godlevska et al., 2010).