Post by aneaglesangel on May 13, 2010 13:15:41 GMT -5
This is some information I received from Christina Kocer, who is part of the Wildlife Diversity Program in Connecticut. I figured I can try to help out, I have Lyme Disease and need to try to keep walking. But I'm sure there's some healthy people out there who walk every day! So, if you're from the area where the bat population is being affected, why don't you try to help out? It won't take much time, and if you walk every day, you can make it part of your routine. Christina is also going to send me some paperwork that will help to understand the protocols that must be followed to get a bat count. One thing she did say is it's best to get 2 counts. One in June or before, and then one in July to see if the count is higher, and to know if the babies are making it, or not. So, if you can, please help the bats! They'll help you by eating bugs that cause disease and eat our crops. (Yes, I have a war on bloodsucking bugs at the moment! I know firsthand how serious some of these illnesses can be, I have one!)
Excerpts from the letter from Christina, if you need more information, I've provided the web link she sent me! Happy batting!
www.fws.gov/northeast/white_nose.html.
I am currently looking for volunteers who have reported bat colonies (or, in your case, can find bat colonies – see below) and are willing to conduct emergence counts this summer. An emergence count simply involves pulling up a chair outside on a nice summer evening, counting bats as they exit your colony, and jotting down a few notes. These counts, preferably 2 or more, should occur first during June and then again in July. The methods used in this survey will be used to identify and evaluate the approximate size of bat roosts, evaluate reproductive success by noting changes in counts as young become able to forage on their own, and some colonies will provide opportunities for me band and collect other biological information (e.g. guano samples, body weights, etc) as needed by WNS researchers.
Finding colonies of bats: Country churches and other old structures provide the best opportunities for finding bat roosts. The largest colonies are usually located along major rivers or other large bodies of water and other colonies can be found most everywhere near forests and water. Buildings such as old houses, country churches, and barns are likely candidates. Usually you can just ask some local people about buildings with bats. Generally bat roosts are locally known. If you’re lucky, someone will know of artificial roosts created just for bats. The bat species will usually be little brown (Myotis lucifugus) and big brown (Epetiscus fuscus) bats where females congregate in spring through summer to give birth and rear their young. Bats do often roost in trees as well. If you are ever out walking around sunset, keep an eye on trees with a lot of loose bark, either because they are a species like the shagbark hickory or because they are dead and the bark is falling off of the trunk. Bats will tuck in behind the loose bark and if you are very lucky you might see them emerging to forage at night. The easiest roosts to find are those in buildings and structures, though.
If you are able to find a roost and are interested in conducting official counts, let me know and I will provide protocols and datasheets. Thanks again for your interest!
Feel free to contact me if you have any additional questions or observations.
Christina
Christina Kocer
Wildlife Diversity Program
CT DEP Wildlife Division
Sessions Woods WMA
PO Box 1550
Burlington, CT 06013
Excerpts from the letter from Christina, if you need more information, I've provided the web link she sent me! Happy batting!
www.fws.gov/northeast/white_nose.html.
I am currently looking for volunteers who have reported bat colonies (or, in your case, can find bat colonies – see below) and are willing to conduct emergence counts this summer. An emergence count simply involves pulling up a chair outside on a nice summer evening, counting bats as they exit your colony, and jotting down a few notes. These counts, preferably 2 or more, should occur first during June and then again in July. The methods used in this survey will be used to identify and evaluate the approximate size of bat roosts, evaluate reproductive success by noting changes in counts as young become able to forage on their own, and some colonies will provide opportunities for me band and collect other biological information (e.g. guano samples, body weights, etc) as needed by WNS researchers.
Finding colonies of bats: Country churches and other old structures provide the best opportunities for finding bat roosts. The largest colonies are usually located along major rivers or other large bodies of water and other colonies can be found most everywhere near forests and water. Buildings such as old houses, country churches, and barns are likely candidates. Usually you can just ask some local people about buildings with bats. Generally bat roosts are locally known. If you’re lucky, someone will know of artificial roosts created just for bats. The bat species will usually be little brown (Myotis lucifugus) and big brown (Epetiscus fuscus) bats where females congregate in spring through summer to give birth and rear their young. Bats do often roost in trees as well. If you are ever out walking around sunset, keep an eye on trees with a lot of loose bark, either because they are a species like the shagbark hickory or because they are dead and the bark is falling off of the trunk. Bats will tuck in behind the loose bark and if you are very lucky you might see them emerging to forage at night. The easiest roosts to find are those in buildings and structures, though.
If you are able to find a roost and are interested in conducting official counts, let me know and I will provide protocols and datasheets. Thanks again for your interest!
Feel free to contact me if you have any additional questions or observations.
Christina
Christina Kocer
Wildlife Diversity Program
CT DEP Wildlife Division
Sessions Woods WMA
PO Box 1550
Burlington, CT 06013