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Eastern red bat facts for kids

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Eastern red bat
The image depicts an eastern red bat, recently captured by a researcher
Conservation status
Scientific classification
Genus:
Lasiurus
Species:
borealis
Lasiurus borealis map.svg
Synonyms
  • Vespertilio borealis Müller, 1776
  • Vespertilio noveboracensis Erxleben, 1777
  • Vespertilio lasiurus Schreber, 1781
  • Vespertilio rubellus Palisot de Beauvois, 1796
  • Vespertilio rubra Ord, 1815
  • Vespertilio tesselatus Rafinesque, 1818
  • Vespertilio monachus Rafinesque, 1818
  • Vespertilio rufus Warden, 1820
  • Lasiurus funebris Fitzinger, 1870
  • Myotis quebecensis Yourans, 1930

The eastern red bat (Lasiurus borealis) is a type of microbat in the family Vespertilionidae. Eastern red bats are found across eastern North America. It has also been seen in Bermuda.

Description

The color of the fur of males is brick or rusty red. The color of the fur of females is a bit more frosted shade of red. It weighs 7–13 g (0.25–0.46 oz). It is 109 mm (4.3 in) long. Its ears are short and rounded. Its wings are long and pointed. Its tail is 52.7 mm (2.07 in) long.

Distribution

The eastern red bat is found throughout eastern North America and Bermuda. It is found east of the Continental Divide, including southern Canada and northeastern Mexico. In the winter, it is found in the southeastern United States and northeastern Mexico, and mainly lives in coastal areas. In the spring and summer, it can be found in the Great Lakes region and the Great Plains region.

Feeding

Eastern red bats are insectivorous. They mainly eat moths. But, they also eat other insects. They eat many pests, like gypsy moths, tent caterpillar moths, Cydia moths, Acrobasis moths, cutworm moths, and coneworm moths.

Reproduction

Eastern red bat breeding season starts in the autumn. Many males can mate with one female. Pups are born in the summer. Eastern red bats usually give birth to three pups. Eastern red bat pups learn to fly when they are a month old. After learning how to fly they are weaned. Even after the pups have learned how to fly, they stay with their mother for a short time before staying by themselves.

Images for kids

See also

Kids robot.svg In Spanish: Murciélago colorado para niños

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