Bat Team Update

"This was an excellent season for the Minnesota Biological Survey (MBS) northern long-eared bat team. The team consists of MBS animal survey supervisor/mammalogist Gerda Nordquist, MBS animal survey specialist Melissa Boman, MBS animal survey specialist Andrew Herberg, and MBS zoologist Adam Maleski.

In total, thirty-three bats were captured using mist nets at three netting locations in southern Minnesota. Of those captured, 17 were northern long-eared bats (Myotis septentrionalis) (henceforth abbreviated MYSE). With White-nose Syndrome severely impacting Minnesota's cave hibernating bats (like MYSE), we were concerned we would have few captures this season. Yet, we were successful in deploying all nine of our temporary transmitters onto female MYSE in just three nights of netting at two sites, five at the first and four at the second. This was a record for us...considering past seasons' captures have taken upwards of ten nights at multiple sites!

Bats were then tracked each night until the transmitters naturally disengaged and dropped off, which typically took 8-12 days. Generally, the bats would move to a different tree each night- separate from other transmittered bats. However, at one site we saw all four of our transmittered bats move to the same tree on the same day! This was a first for us in our years of conducting this project...and it was an interesting observation about their roosting behavior! Other bat species captured included little brown bat (Myotis lucifugus), big brown bat (Eptesicus fuscus), eastern red bat (Lasiurus borealis) and silver haired bat (Lasionycteris noctivagans)."

-Melissa Boman, MBS

Bat Resources

• Young Naturalists Article: "Night Fliers"
• Teacher's Guide to "Night Fliers"

MBS zoologists Melissa Boman and Gerda Nordquist examining an eastern red bat.

An eastern red bat in the hand. The MBS bat team observes strict safety protocols when handling bats. Always use extreme caution around bats...and never handle bats without gloves!

MBS zoologist, Adam Maleski, collecting data on a captured bat.

Examining bat's wing for scar tissue which can be used an indicator of White-nose Syndrome infection.

A female northern long-eared bat.

As their name implies, northern long-eared bats have sizeable ears!

MBS zoologist, Andrew Herberg, carefully adheres a transmitter to a female northern long-eared bat. The bat will naturally shed the transmitter after 8-12 days.

A view of the transmitter safely attached to the upper back of the bat. The transmitter does not inhibit the bats' flying and hunting abilities.

This dead American elm was a roost tree used by northern long-eared bats.

MBS zoologists Adam Maleski uses radio telemetry to track a female northern long-eared bat to her roost tree.

An eastern red bat (Lasiurus borealis).

A silver-haired bat (Lasionycteris noctivagans), one of five bat species captured by the bat team.