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from a maternity colony covered a total area of 5.8 square kilometres (Schorcht and others2002). The home range of an entire colony is approximately 80 square kilometres (Meschede& Heller 2000, Arnold & Braun 2002).Abundance: In optimal mating areas 2.3-7.6 males can establish their territories per squarekilometer (Schmidt 1994a).3.11 Serotine Eptesicus serotinusForest habitats: Woodlands are of minor importance to serotines. They may forage onforest edges, but rarely hunt in a forest or roost in a tree.Summer roosts: Preferred roost types are crevices and other narrow holes in houses(Rosenau & Boye 2004). Until now maternity colonies have only been recorded in buildings(e.g. Hübner 1991, Dense 1992, Schmidt 1998, Rosenau 2001, Harbusch 2003). The batsroost below the ridge of a roof (e.g. Schmidt 1998), behind fascia boards (e.g. Rosenau2001), in ventilation holes of new blocks (Bauerova & Gaisler 1985), or in the extension slitsof bridges (Pérez & Ibáñez 1991). Single animals, males in most cases, sometimes use a treehole or a bat box as their roost (Rosenau & Boye 2004). The serotine changes its roost site orhanging place if the microclimate in the roost becomes uncomfortable, e.g. if temperaturesrise too much (Labee & Voute 1983, Hübner 1991, Schmidt 1998, Rosenau 2001).Maternity colonies have different strategies of roost site utilization: There are records of asingle roost site used for the whole maternity period (Glas 1981, Hübner 1991), of a mainroost and a couple of near-by satellite roosts (Dense 1992), and frequent changes within aroost site network (e.g. Schmidt 1998, Dietz & Simon 1999, Rosenau 2001, Simon and others2004).In its summer roosts the serotine can be associated with the greater mouse-eared, Brandt’sbat, the common pipistrelle and the brown-long eared bat (Taake & Vierhaus 1984, Braun2003, own observation), while other small species like the whiskered bat may be pushedaway (Franke 1997).Winter roosts: Winter roosts are in cellars, mines and caves (Heidecke 1987, Haensel 1989,1992), in old buildings and crevices in walls (Hildenhagen & Taake 1982). Single specimensoccasionally hibernate in their summer roost (Lubeley 1998). No records of hibernatingserotine bats are of more than three individuals (Baagøe 2001b).Summer and winter roosts are thought to be less than 50 kilometres apart, however little isknown (Rosenau & Boye 2004).Foraging areas: In most cases the foraging areas are open fields with some woods on theedge. In agricultural landscapes the bats prefer pasture with tree rows for protection fromwinds (Verboom & Huitema 1997, Schmidt 2000, Lubeley & Bohle 2001). In addition forestedges, river banks, parks, tree rows, back yards, sports grounds, and garbage depots areappropriate foraging areas (Austria: Spitzenberger 2001, Denmark: Baagøe & Jensen 1973,Baagøe 2001a, Germany: Rosenau 2001, Braun 2003, Greece: Hanak and others 2001,Hungary: Dobrosi n.y., Italy: Spagnesi and others 2000, Luxembourg: Harbusch and others2002, Poland: Kowalski & Ruprecht 1981, Woloszyn 2001, Spain and Portugal: Benzal andothers 1991, Switzerland: Stutz & Burghard 1995, The Netherlands: Limpens & Kapteyn29