Created April 2009
Last updated April 2018
Myotis nattereri (Kuhl 1818)
Natterer’s bat.. Photo Hedj Dolman
Natterer’s bats are medium sized bats found in broad leaved woodland near water. They are extremely agile fliers and can glean their prey off vegetation. We very rarely see them because they stay amidst the vegetation.
Natterer’s in a mist net. Photo Henry Stanier
As with all Myotis bats, they are difficult to to identify from their echolocation calls even when using a sonogram. Their calls have a large frequency range, from over 100 kHz to below 30 kHz. The only way to be sure of their presence is to mist net them ( under licence)
Droppings are about 2.3-3.3mm in diameter and about 8-11 mm in length. Particle size is medium
Natterer’s have a low slow flight and can hover over prey. They are quite difficult to spot as they fly close to vegetation.
Hhibernating Natterer’s Bat Photo Phil Cannings
We find them in quite large numbers in Hibernation, often in quite ludicrous positions. Their pale underbodies make them relatively easy to spot. They make up about two thirds of the bats we find on Hibernation surveys, but this may be in part because they are a bit easier to spot and have a tendency to hibernate in ridiculous postures.
Photo of strangely positioned Natterer’s bat Photo Mark Telfer
In the poor weather of 2012 we found hardly any, even in sites where we normally found them, but numbers were normal during the hibernation checks.
Photo of Natterer’s wing Photo Hedj Dolman
In April 2013 we had our first ever Natterer’s bat brought into care. Fortunately she made a speedy recovery and was released where she was found https://www.bedsbatgroup.org.uk/wordpress/?p=7176
More information
Natterer’s like bat bricks Photo Bb Cornes
http://www.bio.bris.ac.uk/research/bats/britishbats/index.htm