[nok-chool] 
| a large reddish insectivorous bat, Nyctalus noctula, common to Europe and Asia. |
| noc·tule (nŏk'chōōl') n. A large, reddish-brown insectivorous bat of the genus Nyctalus, found in Eurasia, Indonesia, and the Philippines and typically dwelling in the hollows of trees. [French, from Italian nottola, bat, owl, from Late Latin noctula, from Latin, diminutive of noctua, night owl; see nekw-t- in Indo-European roots.] |
noctule
any of about six species of vesper bats (family Vespertilionidae) found in Europe and Asia. Noctules are golden to yellowish or dark brown, with a paler underside. They are 5-10 cm (2-4 inches) long without the 3.5-6.5-cm (1.4-2.6-inch) tail. They are swift, erratic fliers and commonly leave their roosts (generally in caves or buildings) at or before sunset. They eat insects and apparently are fond of beetles. The best-known and most widely distributed species is the Eurasian N. noctula, a reddish brown migratory inhabitant of wooded regions
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