Rufous Horse-shoe Bat (Rhinolophus rouxii)

Rufous Horseshoe Bat is a common bat occurs from forested parts of the low country to the lower hills (500 m a.s.l) while becoming scarce above 1300 m a.s.l. It roosts day time in caves, old buildings, barns and dark culverts as large colonies of same species or sometime with other species of bats such as Schneider’s leaf-nosed bat (Hipposideros speoris), Long-eared false vampire bat(Megaderma spasma) and Bi-colored leaf-nosed bat (Hipposideros ater). But roosting single individuals or small parties are also not uncommon in such places. It emerges late in the evening from the roosting site and catch small flying insects (Moths, Beetles etc.) by flying about 3-4 feet above the ground below trees or sometime darting at the prey from a perched position in a low bushes. This bat occurs in two color forms,  brown and orange, while later color phase bats are much common during the winter months of the northern hemisphere (Yapa A. & Ratnavira G., 2013). 

Flying Fox/Maa wawula (Pteropus giganteus)

Flying Fox or Maa Wawula in Sinhala is the largest bat in Sri Lanka with about 1.2m wingspan. It is distributed throughout the island excluding higher hills though it is a visitor to the higher hills during fruiting seasons. However  W.W.A Phillips noted that it appears to be absent, during the greater part of the year, from the Hambantota district (Phillips, 1980). Flying fox is a nocturnal mammal and has excellent night vision though it doesn't have echolocation like some other bats. During the day time it roosts communally in tall trees. Such a colony - usually located close to human habitations- may comprises hundreds or may be thousands of individuals. Flying fox exclusively feeds on soft pulp and juice of flowers and fruits (Excluding all citrus fruits) after solids are discarded having chewed the flesh. It covers immense distance in a night in foraging, ranging from 2 to 20kms. Often before feeding, it is said that they visit a river or lake to quench thirst, lapping up water as they glide over the surface (Phillips, 1980). Even though it is treated as a pest it also an invaluable pollinator of most fruit plants.

Schneider’s leaf-nosed bat (Hipposideros speoris)

Schneider’s leaf-nosed bat is a common insectivorous bat in lowlands and lower hills of the island. It roosts in large colonies in caves and abandoned buildings during the day time and leaves early in the evening to feed on flying beetles, mosquitoes, flies, termites and such other low flying insects. It flies close to the ground among bushes and trees and human dwellings (sometime entering verandas and even rooms to catch small flying insects).  

කොටිකන් වවුලා[Kotikan Waula]/Great horse-shoe Bat/Lesser Woolly Horseshoe Bat (Rhinolophus beddomei sobrinus)

Great horse-shoe bat is restricted to forested areas of both wet and dry zone lowlands. However a specimen from Madamahanwara (1077m a.s.l ) was also collected ( Bats of  the Indian Subcontinent – P.j.j. Bates and D.L. Harrison, 1997). It spends the day time hanging by one foot, with their wings wrapped around them in a hollow tree or a small cave. Great horse-shoe Bat lives solitary, in pairs or as small parties of up to three individuals. It emerges in the late evening from its diurnal roost and flies low over the ground among low bushes and along jungle paths in seeking of its prey which consists of beetles, termites and other flying insects. Race sobrinus is endemic to Sri Lanka.

Long-eared false vampire bat/ කොටිකන් වවුලා[Kotikan wawula] (Megaderma spasma)

Even though true vampire bats have not been found in Sri Lanka, it is home to two species of false vampire bats. Long-eared false vampire bat can be found from lowlands to lower hills of the island. During day time these bats roost as small colonies usually consist of 2-12 individuals in abandoned houses, caves or in a hollow of a tree. It is much fond of tilled roofed houses. Late evening it emerges from its day time retreats and flies low among bushes in search of insects like beetles, grasshoppers, moths etc.