BATS
Pennsylvania is home to nine species of bats! Despite the bad publicity, bats provide a service to mankind by eating all the nasty insects. A single little brown bat can eat up to 600 mosquitoes an hour. With out bats, we would soon run out of options to control insects by. Many insects are becoming immune to sprays and poisons but never immune to the bat. Besides that, they are a better natural way to control the nasty pests.
Most bats do not live in a cave or mine year around. In fact, they relocate to places such as attics, barns, chimneys and even trees during the summer. This is where their life is prone to danger because many people do not understand or can appreciate for what the bat is. Countless is killed each year by homeowners when they discover bats in the attic, chimney, etc. Bats can be moved naturally if proper procedures are followed. For instance, blocking up holes in the attic at night will prevent entry when the bats return during summer (better wait until after mid summer in case the young are being raised) early morning hours. Better yet, block all bat entries in the home during late fall or winter, that way you are sure not to trap any of the creatures inside. For homeowners that need help with this problem can contact the Pennsylvania Game Commission and ask to speak with a bat biologist. You can also contact "Bats Conservation International" (web address on main page) for good advice. Whatever you do, do not go on a killing rampage simply because you don't understand bats. Many people automatically kill bats because they think all bats carry rabies. This is far from the truth!
Yes, some bats have contracted rabies just like pet dogs and cats do. However, it is very rare to find a rabid bat (start blaming the raccoons). In fact, if there were many rabid bats then there should be many infected cavers! Cavers are in the same environment as bats by exploring caves. If the rabies threat in bats were such a concern then hardly anyone would go caving! Bats by nature should either be flying in your face (if you're a caver) or hanging out somewhere. As a general rule, any bat found laying on the floor or ground is strong suspect to injury, sickness or even rabies. If you find such a bat on the ground, DO NOT TOUCH IT, unless you suspect it has bitten or come in direct contact with someone. Then, carefully pick it up (wearing leather gloves) and place it in a plastic bag. Take it somewhere for testing to make sure it wasn't rabid if you have any doubts. In general, the best advice is to leave bats alone and they will leave you alone (while eating all the insects that drive you crazy).
When fall approaches, bats look for suitable places to hibernate in (although some types actually migrate south), namely, caves, mines and some tunnels. Some bats prefer slightly warmer temperatures (although still cold) while others like the colder degrees. Some bats can tolerate some minimal disturbance while others will not. Bats have the brilliant ability to lower their heart rate from 400 beats a minute to about 25 during hibernation. Although, bats are warm blooded mammals (the only flying mammal), they can lower their body temperature close to the freezing point. By slowing down the body they are able to sustain themselves over a long period of time. Human beings have yet to master this feat that bats do naturally for survival. This comes at no surprise since bats have been around for a long time. In fact, fossils with strong similarities to bats have been dated to be about 50 million years old.
Below is an informational listing of bats in Pennsylvania.
Little Brown (Myotis lucifugus)
They have a rich brown-colored fur with a darker area on the shoulder. They eat (as with all bats) mosquitoes, beetles, flies, moths etc. In summer they live in buildings near rivers, marshes or lakes. In winter, they live in tunnels, caves and mine shafts of which they return to yearly. These bats may live up to 25 years.
Big Brown (Eptesicus fuscus)
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 (Pipistrellus subflavus)
This is one of the smallest bats with reddish to light brown fur. They eat most insects and have been known to hibernate deep inside caves or mines.
Small-Footed (Myotis leibii)
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 (Myotis septentrionalis)
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 (Lasionycteris noctivagans)
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 (Lasiurus cinerus)
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 (Lasiurus borealis)
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 (Myotis sodalis)
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 as a protected animal. The Canoe Creek Mine was gated for this purpose and protects one of the largest bat colonies left in Pennsylvania.