Big Brown Bat

Description:

Well, a big brown bat is exactly that: big and brown. And a bat. The last photo got our headlamps shining through his fur, and gives you a false sense that the fur is lighter than it really is. That's just the headlamps, but it made a cool photo so I put it up. To ID this bat, in comparison size-wise, he was noticeably larger than the other bats we were capturing, and in fact his forearm length was 47mm, much longer than the others (which were all in the 30's).

Habitat:

Big brown bats are found in a variety of habitats from houses to forests. They traditionally roost under bark in trees, but will roost in bat houses too. They have a wide species range from the far north of Canada to southern Mexico. They forage in desert habitat, agricultural fields, and forests. They play a key role in reducing agricultural pests such as cucumber beetles. This bat was found at the SFA experimental forest.

Notes:

This bat was captured in a mist net by trained and permitted researchers. Proper care was given to each animal, and white-nose protocol was followed. Weather: clear, no breeze, low of 69 F. Nets were placed over a pond with pines around it, and a small grassy field nearby.