Yellow house bat/African Yellow bat (Scotophilus dingani)

Identification pointers

Light brown above with prominent yellow underbelly, eyes are clearly visible and the snout is short and broad. The forearm length is 50-58 mm and its mass is about 14-42g. Medium-sized bats that are regularly seen in suburban areas flying at dusk.

Roosting habits

This species is an opportunistic crevice or hollow dweller and usually prefers roofs with a ceiling in suburban areas, hiding between the wooden rafters and brickwork inside the roof. Occasionally they share a home with the smaller Cape serotine bat, and may be distinguished from the latter in flight by its larger wing size and high speed. Colonies living in a house roof will usually not reach more than a dozen bats in Johannesburg, which is indeed a small colony. They may readily occupy a bat house.

Breeding

Females give birth only once a year to a single young, twins or maybe even triplets. Young are born in the warm summer months any time from October to March.

Food

Mostly beetles, but also plant-sucking bugs, flies, flying termites, moths and lacewings.


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