![]() The wing and interfemoral membranes are nearly hairless and dark brown or black. Albino individuals have also been observed. lucifugus is glossy, and varies in color from dark brown, golden brown, reddish, to olive brown. ( Barbour and Davis, 1969 Fenton and Barclay, 1980 Tuttle, 1991 Wilson and Ruff, 1999) Little brown bats live over a wide latitudinal and elevational range. In those habitats, drinking water is provided by moisture on cave walls or condensation on the fur. Myotis lucifugus inhabits forested lands near water, but some subspecies can be found in dry climates where water is not readily available. ( Wilson and Ruff, 1999 Fenton and Barclay, 1980 Koopman and Gudmundsson, 1966 Nowak, 1994 Wilson and Ruff, 1999) Myotis lucifugus does not make tremendously long migrations during the change of seasons. Northern populations of bats enter hibernation in early September and end in mid-May southern populations enter in November and end their hibernation in mid-March. These sites usually include abandoned mines or caves where the temperature is continuously above freezing and humidity is high. Hibernaculum sites may be shared with Myotis yumanensis. Females use the same nursery colony every year. They are usually occupied only by females and their offspring. ![]() Nursery roosts are similar to day roosts but are warmer than ambient temperature. Day and night roosts are inhabited during spring, summer, and fall months, whereas during the winter, hibernacula sites are used. Night roosts are usually away from day roosts this may diminish the accumulation of feces at day roosts and avoid signaling predators. These roosts are primarily occupied when temperatures are below 15☌. Night roosts are selected for their confined spaces where large concentrations of bats can cluster together to increase the temperature in the roost. Day roosts have very little or no light, provide good shelter, and typically have southwestern exposures to provide heat for arousal from daily torpor. Day and night roosts are used by active bats and include, but are not limited to, buildings, trees, under rocks, and in piles of wood. Locations of roosts are chosen based upon the presence of stable ambient temperatures. ![]() Myotis lucifugus occupies three types of roosts: day, night, and hibernation roosts. ( Barbour and Davis, 1969 Fenton and Barclay, 1980 Nowak, 1994) Little brown bats are also absent from much of Florida, the southern Great Plains regions of the U.S., southern California, and parts of coast Virginia and the Carolinas. Those outlying records are presumed to have been the result of accidental ship transportation by humans. Although little brown bats are not found in northern Canada, individuals have been observed in Iceland and Kamchatka. Little brown bats, Myotis lucifugus, are abundant in southern Alaska, Canada, across the United States from the Pacific to Atlantic coasts, and the higher elevation forested regions of Mexico.
0 Comments
Leave a Reply. |
Details
AuthorWrite something about yourself. No need to be fancy, just an overview. ArchivesCategories |