Eastern red bat facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Eastern red bat |
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| Conservation status | |
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Lasiurus
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| Species: |
borealis
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| Range (note: map erroneously shows the species to be present in Cuba.) | |
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The eastern red bat (Lasiurus borealis) is a fascinating type of microbat, which are small bats that use echolocation to find their way around. These bats belong to the Vespertilionidae family. You can find eastern red bats living across a large area of eastern North America, and they have also been seen in Bermuda.
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About the Eastern Red Bat
What's in a Name?
The eastern red bat got its scientific name, Lasiurus borealis, a long time ago in 1776. It was named by a German zoologist named Philipp Ludwig Statius Müller. The first part of its name, Lasiurus, comes from ancient Greek words: lasios means "hairy," and oura means "tail." This makes sense because these bats have very furry tails! The second part of its name, borealis, is a Latin word meaning "northern," referring to where these bats are often found.
Family Tree of the Eastern Red Bat
The eastern red bat is part of a group of bats called Lasiurus. Scientists use DNA to understand how different animals are related to each other. Studies show that the eastern red bat is most closely related to other "red bats." Its closest relatives include the Pfeiffer's red bat, Seminole bat, cinnamon red bat, desert red bat, saline red bat, and the greater red bat. They all share a common ancestor, like cousins in a big family.
How to Spot an Eastern Red Bat
Eastern red bats have very special fur! Males are usually a bright brick-red or rusty color. Females are also red, but their fur often looks a bit frosted, like it has a light dusting of white. Both male and female bats have clear white patches of fur on their shoulders.
Their bodies are covered in thick fur, even on the membrane between their legs and tail. This membrane is called the uropatagium. This fur helps keep them warm. They are medium-sized bats, usually weighing about 7 to 13 grams, which is like a few grapes! From head to tail, they measure about 109 millimeters.
Eastern red bats have short, round ears with small, triangular tragi (the little flap of skin in front of the ear canal). Their wings are long and pointed, which helps them fly quickly. They have 32 teeth, which are perfect for munching on insects.
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A female eastern red bat resting in a tree.
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An artistic drawing of a red bat from 1874.
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Life of an Eastern Red Bat
Eastern red bats are fast flyers and can move well in the air. They are insectivores, meaning they love to eat insects! Their favorite food is moths, but they also eat many other kinds of insects. They are helpful because they eat many insects that are considered pests, such as gypsy moths, tent caterpillar moths, and cutworm moths.
Reproduction and Life Cycle
The breeding season for eastern red bats begins in the autumn. Pups (baby bats) are born in the summer, usually between May and July. Unlike most other bat species that have only one pup at a time, eastern red bats often have three pups, and sometimes even up to five! Female bats have four nipples, which allows them to feed several babies at once.
Baby bats learn to fly about a month after they are born. After they can fly, they stop drinking their mother's milk. Even then, they stay with their mother for a little while longer before they go off to live on their own.
Eastern red bats face dangers from predators like hawks and owls. Even aggressive birds like blue jays and crows might attack them. Sadly, eastern red bats can also be hurt by flying into cars, tall buildings, or wind turbines. Scientists believe that an eastern red bat usually lives for about two years, but some might live even longer.
Where Do Eastern Red Bats Live?
Eastern red bats live across a wide area in eastern North America and Bermuda. You can generally find them east of the Continental Divide, which includes parts of southern Canada and northeastern Mexico.
During the winter, many eastern red bats move to the southeastern United States and northeastern Mexico, especially near coastal areas. In the spring and summer, they spread out to places like the Great Lakes region and the Great Plains. Unlike some other bat species, both male and female eastern red bats live in the same areas throughout the year.
It's interesting to note that in the past, people thought these bats lived in the western United States, Central America, and northern South America. However, scientists later realized that those bats were actually a different species called the desert red bat.
Protecting the Eastern Red Bat
The IUCN (International Union for Conservation of Nature) has listed the eastern red bat as a species of "least concern." This is the lowest level of worry for a species' survival. They are given this rating because they live in a very large area, have a big population, and can live in different kinds of habitats, including some that have been changed by humans. Their numbers are not thought to be dropping quickly.
Wind Turbines and Bats
Eastern red bats, along with other bats that migrate, can be harmed by wind turbines. This often happens because of something called barotrauma, which means injuries caused by sudden changes in air pressure around the spinning blades. The eastern red bat is the second most affected bat species by wind turbines, after the hoary bat.
White-Nose Syndrome
Scientists have found that eastern red bats can carry the fungus that causes white-nose syndrome. This disease is very dangerous for many other bat species. However, eastern red bats have not shown any signs of actually getting sick from white-nose syndrome themselves. This is good news for their population!
Key Conservation Strategies
- Temporarily shutting down wind turbines during periods of low wind (when bats are most active) and during the fall migration season can reduce bat deaths by over 50% with minimal energy loss.
- Installing ultrasonic devices that deter bats from approaching turbine blades.
- Avoiding placing new wind farms in key migratory corridors or forested habitats.
- Planting and maintaining trees in cities to provide roosting sites.
- Encouraging people to leave leaf litter and natural plant material in yards and parks over winter to provide insulation for hibernating bats.
- Promoting integrated pest management to ensure bats have ample insect food.
See Also
In Spanish: Murciélago colorado para niños
- Bats of Canada
- Bats of the United States
