Townsend's big-eared bat
Encyclopedia
Townsend's Big-Eared Bat (Corynorhinus townsendii) is a species of vesper bat
in the Vespertilionidae family.
s, flies
, lacewings
, dung beetle
s, sawflies
, and other small insect
s. One report states that the species feeds almost exclusively on Lepidoptera
moths.
, Mexico
, and United States
. This bat is often distributed near rocky areas where caves or abandoned mine tunnels are available. They may also occasionally inhabit old buildings.
The average lifespan of a Townsend's Big-Eared Bat is 16 years.
During summer, males and females occupy separate roosting sites. Males live a solitary lifestyle away from females. Females and their pups form maternity colonies which often number from around 12 to 200, although in the eastern United States colonies of 1,000 or more have been formed.
During the winter these bats hibernate, often when temperatures are around 32 and 53°F (around 0°C and 11.5°C.) Hibernation occurs in tightly packed clusters, which could possibly help stabilize body temperature against the cold. Males often hibernate in warmer places than females and are more easily aroused and active in winter than females. The bats are often interrupted from their sleep because they tend to wake up frequently and move around in the cave or move from one cave entirely to another. Before hibernation, C. townsendii increase their body mass to compensate for the food they do not eat during the winter.
Vesper bat
Vesper bats , also known as Evening bats or Common bats, are the largest and best-known family of bats. They belong to the suborder Microchiroptera . There are over three hundred species distributed all over the world, on every continent except Antarctica...
in the Vespertilionidae family.
Description
The Townsend's Big-Eared Bat is a medium-sized bat with extremely long, flexible ears (hence the name) and small yet noticeable lumps on each side of the snout. Its upperparts are similar to dark brown on the back, and wood-brown on the sides. The underparts are a slightly paler shade of brown. These bats can be identified by the nearly uniform color of their bodies. Its total length is around 10 cm (4 in.), its tail being around 5 cm (2 in.) It's wingspan is about 28 cm (11 in.) It weighs around 7–12 grams. While many other North American bat species are being affected by White Nose Syndrome, as of February 2011 no bats of this species seem to be affected. Researchers are further investigating.Diet
The Townsend Big-Eared Bat's diet may include small mothMoth
A moth is an insect closely related to the butterfly, both being of the order Lepidoptera. Moths form the majority of this order; there are thought to be 150,000 to 250,000 different species of moth , with thousands of species yet to be described...
s, flies
Fly
True flies are insects of the order Diptera . They possess a pair of wings on the mesothorax and a pair of halteres, derived from the hind wings, on the metathorax...
, lacewings
Neuroptera
The insect order Neuroptera, or net-winged insects, includes the lacewings, mantidflies, antlions, and their relatives. The order contains some 6,010 species...
, dung beetle
Dung beetle
Dung beetles are beetles that feed partly or exclusively on feces. All of these species belong to the superfamily Scarabaeoidea; most of them to the subfamilies Scarabaeinae and Aphodiinae of the family Scarabaeidae. This beetle can also be referred to as the scarab beetle. As most species of...
s, sawflies
Sawfly
Sawfly is the common name for insects belonging to suborder Symphyta of the order Hymenoptera. Sawflies are distinguishable from most other Hymenoptera by the broad connection between the abdomen and the thorax, and by their caterpillar-like larvae...
, and other small insect
Insect
Insects are a class of living creatures within the arthropods that have a chitinous exoskeleton, a three-part body , three pairs of jointed legs, compound eyes, and two antennae...
s. One report states that the species feeds almost exclusively on Lepidoptera
Lepidoptera
Lepidoptera is a large order of insects that includes moths and butterflies . It is one of the most widespread and widely recognizable insect orders in the world, encompassing moths and the three superfamilies of butterflies, skipper butterflies, and moth-butterflies...
moths.
Range
C. townsendii can be found in the following countries: CanadaCanada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
, Mexico
Mexico
The United Mexican States , commonly known as Mexico , is a federal constitutional republic in North America. It is bordered on the north by the United States; on the south and west by the Pacific Ocean; on the southeast by Guatemala, Belize, and the Caribbean Sea; and on the east by the Gulf of...
, and United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
. This bat is often distributed near rocky areas where caves or abandoned mine tunnels are available. They may also occasionally inhabit old buildings.
Reproduction
The mating season for the Townsend's Big-Eared Bat takes place in late fall. As with many animal species, courtship rituals are done by the male. Until spring, when ovulation and fertilization begin, the female stores the male's sperm in her reproductive tract. Gestation lasts from 50 to 60 days. When the pup is born, it is pink, naked, and helpless. Only one pup is birthed per female, although 90% of females give birth.Life
During summer, males and females occupy separate roosting sites. Males live a solitary lifestyle away from females. Females and their pups form maternity colonies which often number from around 12 to 200, although in the eastern United States colonies of 1,000 or more have been formed.
During the winter these bats hibernate, often when temperatures are around 32 and 53°F (around 0°C and 11.5°C.) Hibernation occurs in tightly packed clusters, which could possibly help stabilize body temperature against the cold. Males often hibernate in warmer places than females and are more easily aroused and active in winter than females. The bats are often interrupted from their sleep because they tend to wake up frequently and move around in the cave or move from one cave entirely to another. Before hibernation, C. townsendii increase their body mass to compensate for the food they do not eat during the winter.
Subspecies
Four subspecies exist:- C. t. townsendii
- C. t. ingens Ozark Big-Eared BatOzark Big-Eared BatThe Ozark Big-Eared Bat is one of the five subspecies of Corynorhinus townsendii, a species of vesper bat . Their average lifespan is 15 years. Part of the mating ritual of these bats includes nuzzling heads...
(Federally endangered) - C. t. virginianus, the Virginia big-eared bat (Federally endangered the Virginia state batU.S. state batsAs of February, 2011, at least three US states had an official bat. The general assembly of North Carolina considered a bill in 2007 that would have made Rafinesque's Big-eared Bat its state bat. The bill passed 92-15, but died in the state senate....
)