Plecotus

Plecotus 

(long-eared bats), a genus of mammals of the suborder Microchiroptera. The animals measure 4.5–7 cm in length and weigh 5–20 g. They have enormous conchae auriculae that may measure as much as 3–4 cm in length. The genus embraces six species, which are found in the temperate latitudes of Eurasia, North America, and North Africa. The two species found in the USSR are P. auritus, which lives mainly in the central and northern regions, and P. austriacus, found only in southern and western regions of the European part of the country, Transcaucasia, and Middle Asia. The bats nest in buildings, hollow trees, and caves. They fly slowly but with great ease and mobility. The bats feed on insects that they catch while in flight or gather from leaves. The females bear one offspring each year.