Another medium-sized bat can be seen regularly throughout Germany and is common at ponds, lakes and other calm bodies of water. 
It typically hunts in prolonged flights at a constant low height above the water surface, continually raking insects from the surface as it flies. Chironomids are the main prey. Regionally high population densities may occur, e.g. in an area rich in ponds northwest of Erlangen, where a density of 65 individuals per square kilometer was calculated. Suitable roosts for establishing nursery colonies are found in the surrounding forests. Daubenton’s bats are typical tree dwellers. They easily cover distances of seven to eight kilometers between roost and hunting area.