Facts About the Horse Shoe Bat

The horseshoe bat is an interesting breed of bat that is distinguished by its horseshoe-shaped nose. It can live to be up to 21 years old, much longer than most European bat species. Unfortunately, the horseshoe bat is classed as a "vulnerable" species, having become extinct in many parts of its former range. Scientists speculate that the widespread use of insecticides has contributed to the decline of the horseshoe bat.

  1. Family

    • The horseshoe bat is part of the Rhinolophidae family of bats. The Rhinolophidae is made up of approximately 130 bat species that are divided into ten groups. The horseshoe bat is divided into two subfamilies: Rhinolophus Ferrumeouinum, known as the greater horseshoe bat and Rhinolophus Hipposideros, known as the lesser.

    Habitat

    • Horseshoe bats are found in tropical regions of Europe, Asia, Australia and Africa. Their roosting habits are diverse. Some horseshoe bats prefer to roost in large cave colonies while others roost in trees or in open areas.

    Size and Description

    • The average size of a greater horseshoe bat is between two to three inches, with a wingspan of 14 to 16 inches. The lesser horseshoe bat is actually one of the world's smallest species of bat, with an average body size of one-and-a-half to two inches with a wingspan of eight to 10 inches. The greater and lesser horseshoe bat species are covered in a silky brown, or sometimes grayish, fur and have a distinctive horseshoe-shaped nose that is used for echolocation.

    Prey

    • Both species of horseshoe bats are insectivorous and capture their prey in flight using echolocation. The lesser horseshoe bat prefers small insects and sometimes gleans its prey from branches or between stones. Favored prey of horseshoe bats include spiders, moths and flies.

    Reproduction

    • Male greater horseshoe bats are mature and able to mate by the end of their second year, while female greater horseshoe bats are not mature enough to mate until their third or fourth year. Female lesser horseshoe bats reach maturity much sooner, usually by the end of their first year. Both species of horseshoe bats mate in the fall, with the female storing the sperm and waiting to conceive until spring. Female horseshoe bats usually give birth to a single pup, which reaches independence at around 8 weeks old.