Yellow House Bat

Name

Yellow House Bat or African Yellow Bat (Scotophilus dinganii)

Appearance

Larger than the Lesser Yellow House Bat, but smaller than the Giant Yellow House Bat. This is an attractive bat with a dog-like face. Total body length averages 130 mm and weighs 27 gr. The adults' belly is covered with bright yellow fur. The back is covered with brown tinged, short, sleek fur. Wings are either olive, grey or red. The interfemoral membrane is brown and translucent.

Diet

The Yellow House Bat feeds preferably on beetles.

Breeding

Females give birth to twins towards the end of November or early December. Mating takes place in autumn. Young are able to fend for themselves at a very young age, as they are weaned within weeks after birth. Species has a high fidelity to roosts.

Behaviour

Resting by day in hollows and cracks of large trees, colonies are seldom larger than 12. They often roost in secluded spots in cracked walls and roofs and they have become common in suburbia. As such roosting colonies are very quiet, households are seldom aware of their presence.

Individuals only leave their roosts once it is totally dark. They normally satiate themselves, feeding constantly for two hours.

Where Yellow House Bat are found

The Yellow House Bat is associated with woodland savannas. Distribution in South Africa from the Northern province, Mpumalanga, the eastern districts of Swaziland, KwaZulu-Natal and the Eastern Cape.

Field Notes

The names and classifications of the Yellow House Bats have changed over the years and what was the Yellow House Bats are now know as the Yellow Bats. There are numerous species of Yellow Bats in African and around the world.
Kruger National Park - South African Safari