Long Eared Bat Being Held

Pastel on Canson paper ($POA)

63 cm W x 48 cm H
This was the final artwork of the “bat” series, (there were 8 in total), and this is probably my favourite as it clearly shows the diminutive size of microbats. Lesser Long-eared Bats (Nyctophilus geoffroyi) occur in towns and suburbs, roosting in hollows and fissures in old trees, under bark, in old fairy marten (bird) nests and occasionally in caves. They also often roost in ceilings, hollow walls, unused roller doors and canvas awnings in suburban and inner-city areas. Lesser Long-eared Bats hunt near the ground, and swoop around street lights at night catching insects. They are at risk from pesticides and cats. Luckily they prefer hollows of big old eucalypts for nursery colonies.