Southeast Little Brown Bats
This picture of little brown bats roosting in a bat house in Georgia was sent to me by a gentleman I met through The Bat House Forums. I was trilled since the photographer lives is relatively near me and it’s very encouraging to see bats using houses in my area. This fall I placed my first house with hopes of installing a second, I’m a bit enthusiastic about the idea of the little guys coming to stay in my yard.
The little browns are the most common species which will make use of man made roosting boxes. This particular single chamber house was mounted under the eaves of a carport facing east. Not much sun, but it got so hot that the bats came down for air on the 90 plus days of summer.
The Little Brown Myotis, known as Little Brown Bats, are among the most common bats in the U.S. and Canada. They are primarily nocturnal and emerge from their roosts at dusk. Most of their activity occurs about two or three hours after dusk and secondary activity can occur just before dawn with most of the bats returning to a roost by four or five a.m. In their roosting spots they usually enter daily torpor. Hibernation usually begins between September and November and the bats emerge from March to May. This species does not migrate long distances seeking hibernation roosts, instead they travel only up to 100 miles for winter homes. Young little brown bats can remain active for a longer period in the fall in order to build up fat deposits to see them through winter.
Myotis lucifugus little brown bat is an efficient insect predator, being opportunistic feeders and catch prey by aerial hawking and gleaning tactics. They generally feed on swarms of insects which saves time and energy to search for food. There has not been evidence of territorial protection of feeding grounds but individuals will return to areas where they have had previous feeding success. For more detailed information on the little brown bat, please visit Animal Diversity.
Bats are an important part of any backyard eco-system and habitat as both pollinators and natural insect control. Please consider putting up your own bat house! An easy, effective design which you can build yourself is the Rocket Box Bat House. It also makes for an attractive roosting structure if you live in a neighborhood and perhaps need something ascetically pleasing. Learn more about bats, how to provide shelter and attract them to your yard at:
Bat Conservation International
Pennsylvania Game Commission on Bats
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