Evening Bat
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Nycticeius humeralis
Scientific name translation: "Belonging to the night", "Pertaining to the humerus" |
Description
While similar to the big brown bat because of their fur color and broad muzzles, evening bats are smaller and do not have a keeled calcar. Evening bats have a single upper incisor on each side and single large tooth behind their canine. N. humeralis has glossy brown fur with a black face and a short, curved tragus. Unlike other tree-roosting bats, their fur does not extend onto the wing or tail membranes. Evening bats head and body length ranges from 54–58 mm, tail length ranges from 34–41 mm, ear length is approximately 12 mm, and forearm length ranges from 34–37 mm.
Distribution
Evening bats roost in forests and human-made structures and are rarely associated with caves. In South Dakota, evening bats have only been documented three times in one county.
Ecology
Females will typically produce two young, two weeks after birth they will engage in communal nursing. Pups are one of the largest newborn mammals in comparison to the size of their mothers. N. humeralis have relatively short life spans, living around two to five years old. Evening bats are expanding their range, likely following riparian corridors and wooded areas.
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