The duration of the period of hibernation of three species of vespertilionid bats. II. Laboratory studies

1985 ◽  
Vol 63 (12) ◽  
pp. 2955-2961 ◽  
Author(s):  
John W. Twente ◽  
Janet Twente ◽  
Virgil Brack Jr.
Keyword(s):  
Eptesicus Fuscus ◽  
Ground Squirrels ◽  
Myotis Lucifugus ◽  
Effect Of Temperature ◽  
Temperature Dependency ◽  
Laboratory Studies ◽  
Big Brown Bat ◽  
Little Brown Bat ◽  
Eastern Pipistrelle ◽  
Vespertilionid Bats

Variation in the duration of the period of hibernation of three species of vespertilionid bats under laboratory conditions was great. Durations of the period of hibernation of the big brown bat (Eptesicus fuscus) ranged from less than a day to 908 h (37.8 days) at 5 °C and to 1227 h (51.1 days) at 2 °C. Those for the little brown bat (Myotis lucifugus) ranged from less than a day to 1398 h (58.2 days) at 5 °C and to 1827 h (76.1 days) at 2 °C. Those for Pipistrellus subjlavus (eastern pipistrelle) ranged from less than a day to 649 h (27.0 days) at 5 °C and to 864 h (36.0 days) at 2 °C. It is proposed that the tendency toward great variation is an inherent characteristic of the bats and is not a laboratory-induced artifact. Despite great variation, a temperature dependency of the frequency of arousal was demonstrated for E. fuscus, P. subjlavus, and M. lucifugus. Slopes of regression for E. fuscus, P. subflavus, and M. lucifugus derived from semilogarithmic plots of durations of the period of hibernation versus temperature are similar to each other and to those of hibernating ground squirrels. The regulating effect of temperature upon hibernation suggests that the frequency of arousal is controlled metabolically.

The duration of the period of hibernation of three species of vespertilionid bats. I. Field studies

1985 ◽  
Vol 63 (12) ◽  
pp. 2952-2954 ◽  
Author(s):  
Virgil Brack Jr. ◽  
John W. Twente
Keyword(s):  
Field Studies ◽  
Myotis Lucifugus ◽  
Insufficient Data ◽  
Temperature Dependent ◽  
Natural Conditions ◽  
Big Brown Bat ◽  
Little Brown Bat ◽  
Eastern Pipistrelle ◽  
Pipistrellus Subflavus ◽  
Vespertilionid Bats

The durations of the periods of hibernation of the big brown bat (Eptesicus fuscus), little brown bat (Myotis lucifugus), and eastern pipistrelle (Pipistrellus subflavus) under natural conditions were determined by following intracave movements through two winter seasons in two Missouri caves. Average durations of periods of hibernation were similar for all three species (10–20 days) over a range of temperatures. Maximum durations of periods of hibernation determined were as follows: E. fuscus, 72 days; P. subflavus, 111 days (?); M. lucifugus, 83 days. Variability in the durations of the period of hibernation was much greater for P. subflavus and may be attributable to a lack of movement after arousal or the inability of the observer to discern movement between periods of hibernation. The frequency of arousal was determined to be statistically temperature dependent for M. lucifugus, but not for E. fuscus or P. subflavus, probably because of insufficient data.

Day-roosting activity budgets of the eastern pipistrelle bat, Pipistrellus subflavus (Chiroptera: Vespertilionidae)

1996 ◽  
Vol 74 (3) ◽  
pp. 431-441 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jane M. Winchell ◽  
Thomas H. Kunz
Keyword(s):  
Post Partum ◽  
Video Camera ◽  
Time Of Day ◽  
Myotis Lucifugus ◽  
Seasonal Activity ◽  
Activity Budgets ◽  
Little Brown Bat ◽  
Eastern Pipistrelle ◽  
Pipistrellus Subflavus ◽  
Temperature Time

Daily and seasonal activity budgets of adult female eastern pipistrelle bats, Pipistrellus subflavus, were quantified at a maternity colony in eastern Massachusetts. Ambient and roost temperatures were recorded. Activities of roosting bats were monitored using an infrared-sensitive video camera. Scan sampling was used to analyze video records taken at weekly intervals from mid-May to late July 1989. Analysis of day-roosting indicates that adult females spend an average of 77% of their time at rest, 16% alert, 7% grooming, and < 1% crawling. Bats were most active immediately following their morning return to the day-roost and just prior to their departure at dusk. Periodic bouts of activity throughout the day were usually associated with urination and (or) defecation, mother–pup interactions, and movements in response to changes in roost temperature. Females were significantly more active in mortise roosts than when roosting on the open ridgepole, probably because fluctuations in temperature in mortises were smaller. As the season progressed, the overall time that bats spent resting decreased from 86 to 70%, whereas time spent alert increased from 9 to 24%; weekly fluctuations in the incidence of grooming and crawling showed no consistent seasonal trends. Roost temperature, time of day, and date explained significant amounts of variation in both daily and seasonal activity budgets. Females rested significantly less and were more alert after young were born than before, although time spent grooming and crawling did not differ significantly between the pre- and post-partum periods. Our findings for P. subflavus generally corroborate activity budgets previously reported for the little brown bat (Myotis lucifugus).

Host behaviour, age and sex correlate with ectoparasite prevalence and intensity in a colonial mammal, the little brown bat

Behaviour ◽  
2014 ◽  
Vol 152 (1) ◽  
pp. 83-105 ◽  
Author(s):  
Quinn M.R. Webber ◽  
Liam P. McGuire ◽  
Steven B. Smith ◽  
Craig K.R. Willis
Keyword(s):  
Pathogen Transmission ◽  
Myotis Lucifugus ◽  
Physical Contact ◽  
Wildlife Diseases ◽  
Colonial Species ◽  
Host Seeking ◽  
Host Sex ◽  
Little Brown Bat ◽  
Host Behaviour ◽  
Age And Sex

The influence of behaviour on host-parasite dynamics has theoretical support but few empirical studies have examined this influence for wild-captured hosts, especially in colonial species, which are thought to face generally high risk of exposure. Behavioural tendencies of hosts in novel environments could mediate host exposure. We tested the hypothesis that behavioural tendencies of hosts, and host sex and age, correlate with prevalence and intensity of ectoparasites in a gregarious mammal, the little brown bat (Myotis lucifugus). We also tested whether relationships between host behaviour and parasite prevalence and intensity would vary between taxa of ectoparasites which differ in host-seeking behaviour. We predicted that individual hosts displaying active and explorative behaviours would have higher prevalence and intensity of parasites that depend on physical contact among hosts for transmission (mites) but that host behaviour would not influence prevalence and intensity of mobile ectoparasites with active host-seeking behaviour (fleas). We recorded behavioural responses of wild-captured bats in a novel-environment test and then sampled each individual for ectoparasites. After accounting for age and sex we found mixed support for our hypotheses in some but not all demographics. More active adult and young of the year (YOY) males were more likely to host mites while more active adult and YOY females were less likely to host fleas. Our results highlight possible differences in the influence of host and parasite behaviour on parasite transmission dynamics for colonial compared to non-colonial species and have conservation implications for understanding pathogen transmission in bat white-nose syndrome and other wildlife diseases.

scholarly journals Hepatic lipid signatures of little brown bats (Myotis lucifugus) and big brown bats (Eptesicus fuscus) at early stages of white-nose syndrome

2021 ◽  
Vol 11 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Evan L. Pannkuk ◽  
Nicole A. S.-Y. Dorville ◽  
Yvonne A. Dzal ◽  
Quinn E. Fletcher ◽  
Kaleigh J. O. Norquay ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Lipid Metabolism ◽  
Fatty Acid Distribution ◽  
Eptesicus Fuscus ◽  
Myotis Lucifugus ◽  
Pseudogymnoascus Destructans ◽  
Hepatic Lipid ◽  
Early Stages ◽  
White Nose Syndrome ◽  
Big Brown Bats ◽  
Little Brown Bats

AbstractWhite-nose syndrome (WNS) is an emergent wildlife fungal disease of cave-dwelling, hibernating bats that has led to unprecedented mortalities throughout North America. A primary factor in WNS-associated bat mortality includes increased arousals from torpor and premature fat depletion during winter months. Details of species and sex-specific changes in lipid metabolism during WNS are poorly understood and may play an important role in the pathophysiology of the disease. Given the likely role of fat metabolism in WNS and the fact that the liver plays a crucial role in fatty acid distribution and lipid storage, we assessed hepatic lipid signatures of little brown bats (Myotis lucifugus) and big brown bats (Eptesicus fuscus) at an early stage of infection with the etiological agent, Pseudogymnoascus destructans (Pd). Differences in lipid profiles were detected at the species and sex level in the sham-inoculated treatment, most strikingly in higher hepatic triacylglyceride (TG) levels in E. fuscus females compared to males. Interestingly, several dominant TGs (storage lipids) decreased dramatically after Pd infection in both female M. lucifugus and E. fuscus. Increases in hepatic glycerophospholipid (structural lipid) levels were only observed in M. lucifugus, including two phosphatidylcholines (PC [32:1], PC [42:6]) and one phosphatidylglycerol (PG [34:1]). These results suggest that even at early stages of WNS, changes in hepatic lipid mobilization may occur and be species and sex specific. As pre-hibernation lipid reserves may aid in bat persistence and survival during WNS, these early perturbations to lipid metabolism could have important implications for management responses that aid in pre-hibernation fat storage.

Field identification of the cryptic vespertilionid bats, Myotis lucifugus and M. yumanensis

2007 ◽  
Vol 9 (1) ◽  
pp. 133-147 ◽  
Author(s):  
Theodore J. Weller ◽  
Shonene A. Scott ◽  
Thomas J. Rodhouse ◽  
Patricia C. Ormsbee ◽  
Jan M. Zinck
Keyword(s):  
Myotis Lucifugus ◽  
Field Identification ◽  
Vespertilionid Bats

Torpor patterns in food-deprived Myotis lucifugus (Chiroptera: Vespertilionidae) under simulated roost conditions

1991 ◽  
Vol 69 (1) ◽  
pp. 255-257 ◽  
Author(s):  
Allen Kurta
Keyword(s):  
Metabolic Rate ◽  
Myotis Lucifugus ◽  
Metabolic Rates ◽  
Laboratory Studies ◽  
Insectivorous Bats ◽  
Wet Weather ◽  
Single Night ◽  
Little Brown Bats

Temperate insectivorous bats are commonly prevented from foraging by cold or wet weather. This study examines the effect of missing a single night of foraging on the energetics of pregnant and lactating little brown bats (Myotis lucifugus) under simulated roost conditions. After not foraging, the day-roosting metabolic rate of pregnant M. lucifugus was reduced by 61% and that of lactating bats by 46%. Although previous laboratory studies predicted that food-deprived bats should remain in torpor throughout the day-roosting period, M. lucifugus consistently aroused from torpor between 11:00 and 15:00 and maintained elevated metabolic rates for the rest of the day.

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