Mammals of the WorldLesser Myotis
Myotis blythii
- Order
- Chiroptera
- Family
- Vespertilionidae
- Genus
- Myotis
- IUCN status
- LC
- Distribution
- Portugal|Spain|France|Switzerland|Liechtenstein|Italy|Austria|Czech Republic|Poland|Slovakia|Hungary|Slovenia|Croatia|Bosnia and Herzegovina|Serbia|Kosovo|Montenegro|Albania|North Macedonia|Greece|Bulgaria|Romania|Moldova|Ukraine|Russia|Georgia|Armenia|Azerbaijan|Turkey|Cyprus|Syria|Lebanon|Israel|Palestine|Jordan|Iraq|Iran|Turkmenistan|Uzbekistan|Kazakhstan|Kyrgyzstan|Tajikistan|Afghanistan|Pakistan|India|Nepal|China|Mongolia
- Realm
- Palearctic
Other names: Lesser Mouse-eared Bat|Lesser Mouse-eared Myotis
About this species
- Size
- 67–84mm
- Weight
- 20–45g
- Diet
- Insects
- Habitat
- Warm open grassland, meadows, and extensive farmland
- Range
- Southern Europe to China
The lesser myotis is one of Europe's larger Myotis bats, measuring about 67–84mm with a 350–450mm wingspan and weight of 20–45g. It has grey-brown dorsal fur, a whitish to yellowish underside, a narrow pointed muzzle, and relatively short narrow ears. It closely resembles the greater mouse-eared bat, and confident field separation may require detailed measurements rather than a distant view. (French National Inventory of Natural Heritage; CMS)
Across its broad range from the Iberian Peninsula east toward China, the species favours warm open habitats such as damp meadows, pasture, and extensively managed farmland. Summer maternity groups may occupy attics, sometimes alongside horseshoe or bent-winged bats, while winter clusters use caves and other underground sites. It feeds on insects. The opened accounts did not identify a specific Mongolian roost or viewing locality. (Convention on Migratory Species; Wikipedia, general species account)
Description: Wildlife of Mongolia guide, Wildlife of Everywhere (wildlifeofeverywhere.com); general species information paraphrased from Wikipedia (CC BY-SA)