Photographic Guide to Bats in VA and MD

1. Photographic Guide to Bats in VA and MD By The Save Lucy Campaignwww.saveLucythebat.org

2. Important information • Slide show is intended for bat rehabilitators and bat enthusiasts. Please feel free to distribute, but be nice and credit the source. • This is a work in progress. Species will be added as photos are procured. • All photos belong to Rich Sturges and/or The Save Lucy Campaign, unless otherwise noted. • In a very few instances, photo credit is unknown. If we have used a photo that belongs to you or your agency, please let us know who to credit. Thanks in advance!

3. Important parts of a bat

4. FACIAL FEATURES

5. Tragus The narrow element in the ear

6. EARS Shape Length

7. SIDE VIEW Color of dorsal vs.ventral fur Color of wing, tail membrane Overall size

8. FOREARM Measure!!

9. FOOT Measure!!

10. Toe Hairs Copious? Long? Usually need magnification and very good light to see

11. No!! Keel Yes!!

12. Membrane Attachment At top of toe At ankle Only important for a few species

13. CLAWS Some species have notched claws This one does not

14. FUR Look for bands of color or uniform throughout Colors will vary within species

15. Big Brown Bat • Nonmigratory • Uses buildings summer and winter • Also uses caves and mines for hibernation • Beetle eater • 16—20+ grams; 14 inch wingspan • 2 young per year born late May early June • Lifespan 15—18 years

16. Little Brown Bat • Often uses buildings or barns in summer • Migrates to caves in winter—may move 200+ miles to reach appropriate hibernacula • Forms large colonies • May roost with other myotis species • 7—9 grams; 9 inch wingspan • One pup per year • Lifespan 30+ years

17. Compare Big Brown Bat Little Brown Bat

18. Indiana Bat • ENDANGERED • Uses building roosts, but also associated with old trees with sloughing bark • Is known to roost with Little Brown Bats • Same size and very similar appearance to Little Brown Bat • Nose is slightly shorter; face has a pinkish cast; keeled calcar; sparse, short toe hairs; small foot • Migrates to caves for winter; recovered over 200 miles from banding sites Courtesy: John Chenger, Bat Conservation & Management, Inc. Courtesy: John Chenger, Bat Conservation & Management, Inc. Courtesy: NY DEC

19. Compare Little Brown Bat Indiana Bat Photo by Adam Mann, Environmental Solutions and Innovations

20. Northern Long-Eared Bat • Closely related to Indiana bats and Little Brown Bats; very similar in appearance • Extremely long ears, extend 4mm past nose when pushed forward • May roost with other myotis species or in small colonies of conspecifics • Same size as Little Brown/ Indiana Bats • Migrates to caves for winter

21. Eastern Small-Footed Bat • Smallest bat in region; 3—5g • Distinctive black mask • Foot is only 8mm; keeled calcar • Forearm 30—36mm • Associated with scree and talus slopes • Largest known hibernacula for this species WERE in NY, now MD • Rare across range • 4—5 grams • Dependant on puddles and road ruts for drinking water

22. Evening Bat • Small bat; 6—12 grams • Forearm 33—39mm • Tragus short, curved, rounded • Usually uniformly dark • Range is mainly south of LBB’s but overlaps in mid-Atlantic • But looks like a mini Big Brown • Uses buildings in summer • No one knows what they do in winter, but one was recovered from a moving box in winter. Possibly had been in attic.

23. Tricolored Bat • Formerly Eastern pipistrelle • Very small bat with reddish brown fur and red forearms • 6—10g • Forearm 31--35mm • Banded fur; dark, light, dark • Forms small maternity colonies in tree hollows and sometimes under decks and in open lofts • Has twins; pups are under 1 g at birth • Migrates to caves for winter • Also killed at turbine sites

24. Silver Hair Bats • Very distinctive; black with silver tipping on dorsal fur • Medium sized ; 8—12g • Forearm 37—44mm • Considered highly migratory; found dead at wind turbines • Not usually associated with buildings, but have been recovered from open sheds and garages during winter • Some use caves in winter • Form small maternity colonies in tree hollows in northeast or in higher elevations in mid-Atlantic

25. Hoary Bat • Very distinctive; buffy, gray, & rust fur; black points; black rims on ears. • Forearm 46—58mm • Largest North American Bat; 20—38 grams • Migratory; may move from Canada to Mexico • Foliage bat; does not use buildings • Highly impacted by wind turbines

26. Eastern Red Bat • Buffy, sandy, or red • Medium sized bat; 9—15g • Forearm 35-45mm • Highly migratory; common wind turbine victims • Foliage bat; does not use buildings • Solitary; raises young in tree foliage • Mates on the wing • Often hit by cars • Prone to window strikes • Blue Jays prey on mothers with young

27. Virginia Big Ear Bat • ENDANGERED • Lumpy nose • Ears more than 1” long • 9—12 g • Cave dependant year round • Very sensitive to disturbance • Virginia state bat! Rafinesque’s Big Ear Bat • State ENDANGERED • Very similar to VBEB • Ears more than 1” long • 8—14 g • Highly associated with tree hollows in swamps, but uses other habitats in range