Vespertine (biology)

Vespertine is a term used in the life sciences to indicate something of, relating to, or occurring in the evening.

[1] In zoology, the term is used for a creature that becomes active at dusk, such as bats and owls.

Strictly speaking, however, the term means that activity ceases during the hours of full darkness and does not resume until the next evening.

Vespertine behaviour is a special case of crepuscular behaviour; like crepuscular activity, vespertine activity is limited to dusk rather than full darkness.

A related term is matutinal, referring to activity limited to the dawn twilight.

Ipomoea alba is a vespertine plant in the morning glory family, Convolvulaceae . Like many night-blooming plants, it is moth pollinated.
A bat flying at dusk