Why is the tri-colored bat important?

The tri-colored bat is one of the first species to enter hibernation each fall and among the last to emerge in spring. Hibernation sites are found deep within caves or mines in areas of relatively warm, stable temperatures. Tri-colored bats stand out when you do your hibernacula surveys.

Where do tri-colored bats live?

The tricolored bat is a common bat found throughout the forests of the eastern U.S., and is distributed from Canada south into Mexico and west into Michigan, Minneso- ta, and Texas. The species can be found statewide in South Carolina.

What does a tri-colored bat eat?

The tricolored bat is insectivorous, consuming small prey of 4–10 mm (0.16–0.39 in) in length. Prey taxa include mosquitoes, beetles, ants, moths, and cicadas. It forages with slow, erratic flight in areas near water or forest edges.

How many tri-colored bats are there?

Tri-colored bat populations have declined approximately 96% in New York State from 2007 through 2015. There were only 118 tri-colored bats counted in 2012 compared with 2,285 among the same 37 hibernacula surveyed in 2007 (NYSDEC 2012).

What kind of bat is a tricolored bat?

SAVING THE TRICOLORED BAT. The tricolored bat, formerly known as the eastern pipistrelle, is one of the smallest bats in North America. Its name may seem misleading, since these bats appear to be a solid yellowish brown, but each individual hair is “tricolored” with a brown tip, a yellow middle and a dark base.

What are the threats to the tricolored bat?

When not hunkering down for the winter, they may be found in a wide variety of habitats to roost and forage. White-nose syndrome (WNS) — a devastating disease that is wiping out North American bat species — is the greatest and most immediate threat to the survival of tricolored bats.

Where do tricolored bats live in North America?

The tricolored bat ranges across most of eastern North America and the midwestern United States. Tricolored bats are a hibernating species and have the longest hibernation period of any bat species in their range.

What kind of bat is brown with a yellow tip?

The tricolored bat, formerly known as the eastern pipistrelle, is one of the smallest bats in North America. Its name may seem misleading, since these bats appear to be a solid yellowish brown, but each individual hair is “tricolored” with a brown tip, a yellow middle and a dark base.