Giant evening party

Body length from 84 to 104 mm, wingspan - 41–46 cm ^[3] . Weight from 41 to 76 grams. Color from pale yellow to chestnut red. The belly is slightly lighter than the back, the areas behind the ears are darker in color.

The wings are narrow, long, pointed. The ears are rounded, with skin folds. On the underside of the wing, a strip of wool runs along the front edge. Echolocation signals of very high intensity with a maximum frequency of about 18-19 kHz.

Gigantic evening parties prey on forest edges and surfaces of reservoirs. They begin hunting at high altitude, and then descend closer to the ground. Large beetles ( rhinoceros beetles , barbel , barbs , deer beetles ) and nocturnal butterflies serve as food ^[4] . Based on the analysis of blood and droppings, it was found that gigantic damsels feed on small passerines during their migrations. It was established that their prey was zaryanka , warblers , warblers and redstart . However, attacks on birds have never been observed, probably due to the fact that hunting occurs at night at altitudes of more than 700 meters. How the hunting process takes place is also unknown ^{[5] [6]} .

Gigantic vespers of 1-3 individuals live in tree hollows, in colonies of other bats (mainly red and small vespers ), less often form colonies of 8-13 and even up to 50 individuals ^[4] . Pregnancy lasts about two and a half months, usually two cubs ^[3] .

Deciduous forests of Europe from France to the Volga region and the Caucasus , possibly the Middle East . It is found in Russia from the western borders to the Orenburg region . In the north, they are found up to the Moscow , Nizhny Novgorod and Vladimir regions.

It is very difficult to estimate the size of the giant evening party because of the peculiarities of her lifestyle. According to long-term observations in the Voronezh Reserve ^[7] , there was one giant per 500–600 caught red-headed evening. In the southwestern part of the Odessa region of Ukraine during the flight, one giant evening party for 200 redheads was met. Approximately the same ratio was observed in the Rostov region during the capture of animals during migrations . These data allow us to estimate the population density of the giant evening party at 1 individual per 10 km². The area on which finds of this species in Russia have been recorded is approximately 1700-1800 thousand km², of which 10-15% are suitable for the settlement of a gigantic evening party. Hence, the estimated abundance of this species is 17–27 thousand individuals.

The nature of human exposure to this species is the same as for the small evening party . Special protection measures have not been developed, and it is unclear which measures may be effective, since the reasons for the low numbers are unknown. Detailed research is needed on the distribution and biology of the giant party. Now only protective measures common to all bats can be proposed: conservation of habitats (old hollow deciduous trees), propaganda of protection, and the like ^[8] .

• Vertebrates of Russia: Gigantic Evening Party
• Bats of Russia and neighboring countries
• Giant mice eat migratory birds at night