Table 1.

Trophic categorization and diets of the British bat species analysed, modified from Vaughan (1997 and references therein) and Barlow (1997)

Species	Trophic category	Diet
Common pipistrelle Pipistrellus pipistrellus	Prey of mixed ‘hardness’; Diptera specialist, but with some ‘harder’ species	Mostly suborder Nematocera: Psychodidae ‘moth flies’; Anisopodidae ‘wood gnats’; Muscidae ‘house flies’.
Soprano pipistrelle Pipistrellus pygmaeus	Diptera specialist, particularly midges; mainly ‘softer’ prey	Mostly suborder Nematocera: Chironomidae ‘non-biting midges’; Ceratopogonidae ‘biting midges’.
Greater horseshoe bat Rhinolophus ferrumequinum	Prey of mixed ‘hardness’; mixed feeder, including more ‘hard’ prey, especially Coleoptera	Mainly Lepidoptera & Coleoptera. Lepidopteran families: Noctuidae ‘owlet moths’; Nymphalidae ‘brush-footed butterflies’; Hepialidae ‘swift moths’; Sphingidae ‘hawk moths’; Geometridae ‘geometer moths’; Lasiocampidae ‘lappet moths’. Coleopteran families: Scarabaeidae ‘scarab beetles’; Geotrupidae ‘dor beetles’; Silphidae ‘carrion beetles’; Carabidae ‘ground beetles’. Diptera also consumed.
Brown long-eared bat Plecotus auritus	‘Soft’ prey specialist; specializing on Lepidoptera	Almost entirely Lepidoptera: Noctuidae ‘owlet moths’; Hepialidae ‘swift moths’; Thyatiridae Nymphalidae ‘brush-footed butterflies’; Geometridae ‘geometer moths’; Sphingidae ‘hawk moths’; Notodontidae ‘prominents’; Arctiidae Pyralidae ‘snout moths’.

Assessment of prey ‘hardness’ was based on published data (cited in text).