|
 Photo by: R. Altig |
Red Bat
Lasiurus borealis
Habitat: Red bats are common in the Midwest and east-central states where they roost in deciduous trees (Constantine 1966). They appear to favor trees located on the edge of clearings or along fencerows, generally roosting on the south and east side of such trees. The roost area is protected from the sides and from above, with a clear flight path below.
Diet: The varied diet consists of moths, flies, beetles, and crickets. The bats are often attracted to insects congregating around lights and will forage at such sites with little apparent fear. They also land on the ground and forage for crickets, beetles, and other insects.
Description: This is a medium-sized reddish to yellowish red bat with some of the dorsal hairs tipped white. Males are generally brighter and redder in color than females. The shoulders may have paler buffy spots, and the ventral surface is paler than the dorsum. The white-tipped hairs have a reddish band below the white, then a brown band, and then a black basal band. The ears are short, rounded, and lack a black rim. Measurements are: total length 107-128 mm; length of tail 40-60 mm; length of hindfoot 11 mm; length of ear 8-13 mm; length of forean-n 35-46 mm; weight 7-16 g; wingspan 232-290 mm.
Range in Colorado: Only a handful of specimens were known in Colorado prior to the 1980s, collected in riparian woodlands on the eastern plains in Weld, Arapahoe, Yuma, Otero, and Baca counties (Armstrong 1972, Ellinwood 1978). However, in 1985 an animal was found in Boulder.
Status: This species is not listed.
|
|
Species Occurrence Tool
(*) NDIS has no county occurrence data for fish at this time.
|
