Ecology of the evening bat (<i>nycticeius humeralis</i>) at the northern edge of the range

<p>Only a single colony of evening bats (<em>Nycticeius humeralis</em>) is known to occur in Michigan, and it is the northernmost colony on the North American continent. In mid-May, only female evening bats migrate to Michigan to raise their pups, and in late August, evening bats migrate to southern portions of their range, where they are ubiquitous. I studied the roosting and dietary ecology of the evening bat in southeastern Michigan. Evening bats roosted in cavities, crevices, and under exfoliating bark of older trees located in a bottomland forest, interlaced with waterways and surrounded by agricultural fields. These habitats play an important role in the diet of evening bats. Fourteen orders of insects and two orders of arachnids were found in fecal pellets of evening bats; Coleoptera, Diptera, Hymenoptera, and Hemiptera composed 94% of dietary volume. Several insects consumed by evening bats are economically important.</p>

Name thesis:degree_name

Master of Science (MS)

Level thesis:degree_level

Open Access Thesis

Discipline thesis:degree_discipline

Biology

Year

2008

Author dc:creator

• Munzer, Olivia Maya

Contributors dc:contributor

• Allen Kurta, PhD, Chair
• Catherine Bach, PhD
• Jamin Eisenbach, PhD

• Vespertilionidae Michigan
• Bats Habitat Michigan
• Bats Food Michigan
• Bats Behavior Michigan
• Biology

Repository record dc:identifier

https://commons.emich.edu/theses/166

OAI identifier oai:identifier

oai:commons.emich.edu:theses-1165