Bats
Little Brown Bat
As stated by the bat’s name, its fur is glossy and uniformly
dark brown on the back and upper parts with slightly paler, grayish fur
underneath. Wing membranes are dark brown on a typical wingspan of
8.7-10.6 inches ( 221-269mm ). Ears are small and black with a short,
rounded tragus. Adult bats are typically 4.6-5.6 inches ( 117-168mm )
long and weigh 0.19-0.46 ounces ( 5-13g ). All teeth including molars
are relatively sharp, as is typical for an insectivore, and canines are
prominent to enable grasping hard-bodied insects in flight.
Big Brown Bat
Much larger than the little brown, it has dark brown
fur with blackish face and ears. These fellows will even eat wasps among
other insects. They summer roost in hot attics, barns and trees (favors
temperatures of 95 degrees). In winter, they hibernate in buildings,
caves and mines. They are one of the last to hibernate.
Eastern Pipistrelle
This reddish, yellowish and brownish bat is one of the
smallest bats in eastern North America. The forearms are orange to red,
and the wing membrane is black. Adults weigh between 4 to 8 g and reach
a forearm length of some 3 cm. Pipistrelles are nicknamed butterfly bats
for their distinctive moth-like flight pattern
Small-Footed Bat
This bat has a glossy light tan to golden colored fur
on top and a buff white underneath its body. The face has a black facial
mask (like a raccoon). They like to hibernate in tight cracks or
crevices and even sometimes under rocks on the cave floor. Many times
they are found near the cave entrance. Little is known about the
Small-Footed habits and it's classified as a threatened species.
Northern Long-Eared Bat
Longer more narrow ears and a longer tail distinguish
similar in size and color to the little brown. Little is known about its
habitat except that it eats small insects, flies and hibernates in caves
or mines.
Silver-Haired Bat
It usually has black with silvery tipped fur on the
dorsal side, which produces a frosted appearance. They eat a variety of
insects and like to live around ponds, streams and forest clearings
during summer. These bats are very slow fliers and are the first ones
out foraging during evenings. This bat does not hibernate in
Pennsylvania but migrates south.
Hoary Bat
This is perhaps one of the largest bats found in
Pennsylvania. The dark brown fur is tinged with white giving it a
frosted appearance. White markings on wrists are conspicuous, while
rounded ears bordered with black; orange/yellowish collar is very
distinctive. They feed mostly on moths and mosquitoes. They roost during
summer near forest edges; farmlands and they prefer conifers. Similar as
with the Red bat, they are solitary except during migration and mating.
While most females are found in the eastern U.S., males are more
frequent in the central U.S. and Canada.
Red Bat
These bats with tiny naked ears are dull red to
yellowish with often a frosted appearance. They have long narrow wings
with white markings on their wrists and shoulders. They guys will even
eat crickets and beetles. They can catch their food either in the air or
on the ground. Their habitat is in hedgerows, shrub borders and forest
edges. They seem to like the American Elm as a favorite spot to roost.
Being early evening fliers, they have been clocked at speeds of 40 mph.
Red bats may live up to 12 years. .
Indiana Bat
This small bat resembles the little brown bat except it has a purplish cast to the fur. Its habitat is wooded or semi-wooded areas near streams or rivers. They've been known to hibernate in clusters of 200 bats per square foot. Caves in Missouri, Kentucky, Indiana and Illinois make up 97 percent of this bat population. Although a large population once existed, less than 500 can be found in Pennsylvania today at two sites. It is a mystery why this bat is showing declining populations and it has been placed on the federal endangered species list.
