Geoffroy’s Bat

First recorded in the UK in 2012, the full extent of Geoffroy’s bat populations in the UK is still relatively unknown. Few public records exist as sightings. At SureScreen Scientifics, we first identified a Geoffroy’s bat in August 2023. Geoffroy’s bats are commonly found across Southern and Central Europe, with their range extending through Eastern Asia, Mediterranean coastlines, and even the Atlas Mountains in Africa.

They typically roost and hibernate in caves but have also been observed in houses, attics, and barns. As a social species, they tend to remain in colonies and are not highly migratory. Their diet consists of insects such as spiders, moths, and flies, and due to their feeding habits, they are known to carry foodborne diseases. 

• A dropping sample with sufficient biological material to be used as a reserve is required in case the extraction is unsuccessful the first time: the fresher a sample is, the more likely the test will be able to extract viable DNA.
• Other viable sample types include fur/hair, tissue and blood.
• Samples can be taken using a bat dropping collection kit or using your own secure containers/resources.