| Scientific
Name: Myotis
grisescens Description:
Gray
bats weighs about 0.4 grams to .16 grams.
They have a grayish color fur.
They have a wingspan of about 12 inches.
Population:
The
Gray bat is one of the more endangered
bats there are in the United States.
Their numbers are not exactly known. In
1980 there were an estimated 1,000,000 to
1,500,000.
Food: Gray bats
feed on night-flying insects. They eat
thousands a night. They use echolocation
(high-pitched sounds) to locate the
insects they eat. They usually forage
(find food) over lakes and rivers.
Range:
Gray bats
are found only in twelve states from
Missouri in the east to Tennessee to the
west and to Alabama south. They are found
in southern Indiana and southern Illinois
and can sometimes be found in northern
Florida. They rarely roost outside of
caves. Winter
hibernation is in only eight known caves.
Reproduction:
The
Gray bat is an endangered species. They
mate in September and October. Then the
females go into hibernation. After the
hibernation is over the females have the
offspring in May or June. They only have
one baby at a time. Gray bats can live up
to 15 years.
|
