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Hoary Bat (Lasiurus cinereus)
Hoary Bat in Rose bush. Photograph by Matthew Twining. Some rights reserved. (view image details)
HOARY BAT FACTS
DescriptionHoary Bats are about the size of a mouse. They have rounded noses and small, beady eyes. The ears are yellow with black edges, and rounded in shape. The fur is brown-gray with a heavy white tinge, giving these bats a hoary (or frosted) appearance. This frosted look is because the hairs are dark with white tips. The underside is not so heavily frosted. The throat has a yellow patch. The undersides of the wings have brown fur nearly to the wrist. Size Total length: 13 - 15cm. Weight : 20 to 35 g. Wingspan: 43 cm. Environment forest, woodland, city parks, rainforest. They roost 3 to 5 m above ground during the day in trees with dense leaf coverage. Food they capture insects in flight - mainly moths, but also beetles, flies, grasshoppers etc. Breeding Two young are born after a gestation period of about 56 days. (litter size can vary from 1 to 4). Newborn bats are hairless and weigh about 5.5 g. The young learn to fly at about five weeks old around the time they are weaned. Range Hoary bats are found from northern Canada, through most of the United States (except Alaska) and down through Central America and South America. Notes Hoary bats sometimes roost under eaves of houses and in garages, but they rarely cause a problem. Some Hoary Bats carry rabies, so some "bat-proofing" may be prudent around the home to reduce risk of contact with people. Classification
Relatives in same Genus Western Red Bat (L. blossevillii) Red Bat (L. borealis) Home | Mammals | Reptiles | Birds | Insects | Privacy Policy | Disclaimer | Contact Us |