The Evening Bat looks a lot like the Big Brown Bat except that it is significantly smaller. Evening Bats have a dull wool-like fur with noticeable bands that are darker near the body, with a gray tone in the middle and a brownish tip. Their wing membranes are blackish brown, they have a pinkish nose and the fur on their feet is very short.
Physical Description
- Weight – ¼ – ½ oz.
- Body length – 3 – 3 7/8 in.
- Wingspan – 10 – 11 in.
- Forearm – 1 ¼ – 1 5/8 in.
Habits and Habitat
Evening bats are very active throughout the year, they migrate from Maryland to southeastern states where the temperatures are much warmer in the winter allowing them to flourish and feed on insects year-round. These bats are not found in caves, they prefer to roost in hollow trees, under bridges, under loss shingles, and in attics.
Evening bats are pretty active throughout the year, especially since they usually make their home in states that have a warmer climate. Many do migrate north in the spring usually returning to Maryland in April and migrating south in late September. The Evening bat is a slow and steady flyer that will feed off of insects higher in the sky than other species. Like all of the bat species in Maryland, the Evening Bat feeds entirely on insects.
Mating and Reproduction
Females gather in maternity colonies, while males will roost separately and in many cases, the male will roost solitarily. The females give birth usually to two pups in June or July. The pups are weaned and are able to take flight on their own in four weeks. Like many animals, the evening bat pups have a signature call that allows the mother to identify and pinpoint the location of her bat pups among hundreds of other bat pups in the maternity colony.
Young are born in nursery colonies from mid-May to mid-June. The usual litter size is two. As with most other species of bats, birth is by breech presentation. After the young are born, they grasp a nipple within 5-8 minutes. Newborns are pink, except for slightly darker feet, membranes, ears, and lips; their skin is so transparent that the viscera are visible.
Range
The Evening Bat ranges from lower Michigan and the northern part of Illinois down to Nebraska and Texas, eastward to New Jersey, and south to Florida. These bats are not found everywhere in their range but are found in pockets here and there. Their highest populations are found in the coastal states of the southeast.
Diet
Evening Bats emerge from their roost at dusk to feed for the first time and feed for the second time just before dawn. This bat is a friend to farmers because it feeds on spotted cucumber bugs which cause millions of dollars in damage to crops each year. They also feed on mosquitoes, beetles, moths, flying ants, and flies.
These bats emerge early and are most often seen foraging for food in the early evening and again just before dawn. They appear to prefer open areas and are often visible over open fields and bodies of water such as ponds, streams, and lakes. In urban areas, they will fly after their food along streets between houses and roadways through suburban areas. A large colony of 200 to 300 Evening Bats will eat 6 million insects during one summer.
Contact Mid-Atlantic Wildlife Control
Mid-Atlantic Wildlife Control is a nuisance wildlife control company that specializes in bat removal, bat eviction, and bat exclusion. Our technicians have been trained by one of the nation’s top Bat control experts. In addition to bat removal, we also provide:
If you have a bat problem give us a call at [Organic] or contact us online to set up an appointment.