If Bram Stoker’s legend is anything to go by, the bat’s mythical home lies deep in the heart of Transylviania.
Now, one of the creatures has taken a bit of the folklore to the north-east after he mistakenly made a 4,000 mile journey from Romania to Aberdeen.
Wildlife enthusiasts were left stunned when the timid stow-away was discovered far away from his home after mistakenly being placed in a container heading for Dyce.
The tiny animal – weighing in at eight grams – is believed to be a Kuhl’s pipistrelle, and would be the first of its kind to ever come to Scotland.
Fortunately the creature was taken in by councillor Isobel Davidson, who represents the Ellon ward, who took it home with her on Tuesday.
“It’s exciting and interesting to find unusual species in Aberdeenshire,” she said.
“They make an interesting change from the five species we regularly come across in the north-east”.
Dr Amanda Wilson, a volunteer for the Bat Conservation Trust (BCT) Helpline, said the discovery was causing much excitement among wildlife experts in the area who would never usually come across such a creature.
She said: “This is a very exciting find for us in Aberdeenshire and it has been a brilliant learning opportunity for bat ecologists in Scotland.
“The BCT Helpline exists so that members of the public can freely and easily obtain the help they need if they do come across a bat.
“It was instrumental here in making sure this little Kuhl’s pipistrelle was and will be well looked after.”
The Kuhl’s pipistrelle can usually be found in North Africa, southern Europe and Western Asia and is happiest in a Mediterranean climate.
The Scottish winter is likely to be too much for the little bat, so it will enter a period of quarantine and be cared for in captivity.
During this time, DNA fingerprinting methods will be used to confirm that it is in fact a Kuhl’s pipistrelle as there are several closely linked species in Europe.