Little Brown Bat
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Myotis lucifugus
Scientific name translation: "Mouse-eared", "Light-fleeing" |
Description
Little brown bats are cinnamon to dark brown with long, glossy tipped fur. When their ears are pushed forward they reach about to the nostril, and their tragus is about half as high as the ear. Distinguished from other Myotis species by the absence of fringed hairs around the uropatagium, the lack of a keeled calcar, and long toe hairs that extend past the tip of claw. Little browns have a head and body length that ranges from 46–58 mm, tail length that ranges from 30–40 mm, ear length that ranges from 14–16 mm, and forearm length that ranges from 34–41 mm.
Distribution
Little brown bats are widely distributed across forested landscapes and human-dominated areas. Little brown bats were once very common, but have since faced severe declines due to white-nose syndrome, particularly in eastern North America. In South Dakota, this species can be found in areas like the Black Hills and along the Missouri River corridor. Little brown bats will roost in caves and mines over the winter, and in trees, rock pills, and man-made structures in the summer.
Ecology
Little brown bats will emerge from hibernacula in Late April–May. Females will form maternity colonies in tree cavities or human-made structures with pups born Late May–early July. In the late summer, individuals will swarm near Caves or mines with mating occurring in the fall. Colonies hibernate in caves and cave-like structures November–April. This species has been known to live upwards of the 30 years!
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