Maternity colony

{{short description|Temporary association of reproductive female bats}} [[File:Bats exiting mine (6009184925).jpg|thumb|Townsend's big-eared bats exiting a maternity colony in a mine]] A '''maternity colony''' refers to a temporary association of reproductive female bats for giving birth to, nursing, and weaning their pups. The colonies are initiated by pregnant bats. After giving birth, the colony consists of the lactating females and their offspring. After weaning, juveniles will leave the maternity colony, and the colony itself will break apart. The size of a maternity colony is highly variable by species, with some species forming colonies consisting of ten or fewer individuals, while the largest maternity colony in the world in Bracken Cave is estimated to have over 15 million bats.

==Benefits of a maternity colony== Maternity colonies are especially prevalent in temperate regions due to the thermal benefits of roosting with other individuals.<ref name="Dietz 2006">Dietz, M., & Kalko, E. K. (2006). Seasonal changes in daily torpor patterns of free-ranging female and male Daubenton's bats (Myotis daubentonii). Journal of Comparative Physiology B, 176(3), 223-231.</ref> Outside of the winter months, non-reproductive females and male bats enter torpor for short periods to conserve energy when temperatures are below an optimum threshold. However, torpor is detrimental to reproductive females because it delays the development of the fetus and slows milk production.<ref name="Dietz 2006"/> Therefore, female bats are highly incentivized to maintain a constant body temperature. Roosting in a large group allows females to share body heat, lowering the energetic costs for individuals.

==Risks of a maternity colony== Roosting in large groups brings risks to the members of a maternity colony. Predators such as hawks and owls can learn to anticipate the emergence of bats from a specific roost at sunset.<ref name="Fenton 1994">Fenton, M. B., Rautenbach, I. L., Smith, S. E., Swanepoel, C. M., Grosell, J., & Van Jaarsveld, J. (1994). Raptors and bats: threats and opportunities. Animal Behaviour, 48(1), 9-18.</ref> Smaller colonies are thought to be less risky than larger colonies, because the nightly emergence of bats would attract less attention.<ref name="Wilkinson 2002">Wilkinson, G. S., & South, J. M. (2002). Life history, ecology and longevity in bats. Aging cell, 1(2), 124-131.</ref>

==Species that form maternity colonies== {|class="wikitable" style="text-align: center; width: 800px; height: 100px;" |+Incomplete list |- |'''Common name'''||'''Scientific name'''||'''Range'''||'''Maternity colony size''' |- |'''Family: Vespertilionidae''' |- |Little brown bat||Myotis lucifugus||U.S., Canada||107-349<ref name="Frick 2010">Frick, W. F., Reynolds, D. S., & Kunz, T. H. (2010). Influence of climate and reproductive timing on demography of little brown myotis Myotis lucifugus. Journal of animal ecology, 79(1), 128-136.</ref> |- |Southeastern myotis||Myotis austroriparius||Southeastern U.S.||1000+<ref name="Gore 1992">{{cite magazine |last1=Gore |first1=Jeffrey|last2=Hovis|first2=Julie |date=Summer 1992|title=The Southeastern Bat: Another Cave-roosting Species in Peril |url=http://www.batcon.org/resources/media-education/bats-magazine/bat_article/529?tmpl=component |magazine=BATS Magazine|publisher=Bat Conservation International |access-date=2 March 2017 }}</ref> |- |Fringed myotis||Myotis thysanodes||Canada, Western U.S., Mexico||40-200<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.blm.gov/style/medialib/blm/wy/wildlife/animal-assessmnts.Par.82314.File.dat/FringedMyotis.pdf |title=Species Assessment for Fringed Myotis (Myotis thysanodes) in Wyoming |last=Keinath |first=Douglas |date= December 2003 |website=Bureau of Land Management |access-date=2 March 2017}}</ref> |- |Indiana bat||Myotis sodalis||Midwestern U.S.||30-300<ref name="USFWS 2008">{{cite web |url=https://www.fws.gov/MIDWEST/Endangered/section7/s7process/mammals/inba/INBAEcologySummary.html |title=Summary of Indiana Bat Ecology |author=<!--Not stated--> |date=4 March 2008 |website= U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service|publisher=Department of the Interior |access-date=2 March 2017}}</ref><ref name="Callahan 1997">Callahan, E. V., Drobney, R. D., & Clawson, R. L. (1997). Selection of summer roosting sites by Indiana bats (Myotis sodalis) in Missouri. Journal of Mammalogy, 818-825.</ref> |- |Northern long-eared bat||Myotis septentrionalis||Eastern U.S., Canada||11-65<ref name="Menzel 2002">Menzel, M. A., Owen, S. F., Ford, W. M., Edwards, J. W., Wood, P. B., Chapman, B. R., & Miller, K. V. (2002). Roost tree selection by northern long-eared bat (Myotis septentrionalis) maternity colonies in an industrial forest of the central Appalachian mountains. Forest Ecology and Management, 155(1), 107-114.</ref> |- |Bechstein's bat||Myotis bechsteinii||Europe, Asia||15-40<ref name="Kerth 2002">Kerth, G., Safi, K., & König, B. (2002). Mean colony relatedness is a poor predictor of colony structure and female philopatry in the communally breeding Bechstein's bat (Myotis bechsteinii). Behavioral Ecology and Sociobiology, 52(3), 203-210.</ref> |- |Geoffroy's bat||Myotis emarginatus||Europe||<10-985<ref name="Dekker 2013">Dekker, J. J., Regelink, J. R., Jansen, E. A., Brinkmann, R., & Limpens, H. J. (2013). Habitat use by female Geoffroy's bats (Myotis emarginatus) at its two northernmost maternity roosts and the implications for their conservation. Visions of nature, 111.</ref> |- |Gray bat||Myotis grisescens||Southeastern U.S.||100,000+<ref name="Tuttle 1979">Tuttle, M. D. (1979). Status, causes of decline, and management of endangered gray bats. The Journal of Wildlife Management, 1-17.</ref> |- |Hodgson's bat||Myotis formosus||Asia||82-200<ref name="Shen 2000">Shen, H. P., & Lee, L. L. (2000). Mother-young interactions in a maternity colony of Myotis formosus. Journal of Mammalogy, 81(3), 726-733.</ref> |- |Eastern small-footed bat||Myotis leibii||Eastern U.S., Canada|| ≤22<ref name="O'Keefe 2011">O'Keefe, J. M., & LaVoie, M. (2011). Maternity colony of eastern small-footed myotis (Myotis leibii) in a historic building. Southeastern Naturalist, 10(2), 381-383.</ref> |- |Greater mouse-eared bat||Myotis myotis||Europe||50-800<ref name="Castella">Castella, V., Ruedi, M., & Excoffier, L. (2001). Contrasted patterns of mitochondrial and nuclear structure among nursery colonies of the bat Myotis myotis. Journal of Evolutionary Biology, 14(5), 708-720.</ref> |- |Cave myotis||Myotis velifer|| Southwest U.S., Mexico||100-3,000<ref name="Davis 1963"/> |- |Yuma myotis||Myotis yumanensis|| Western U.S.||100-1,000 <ref name="Davis 1963"/> |- |Arizona myotis||Myotis occultus|| Southwestern U.S.||67<ref name="Hayward">Hayward, B. J. (1963). A maternity colony of Myotis occultus. Journal of Mammalogy, 44(2), 279-279.</ref> |- |Daubenton's bat||Myotis daubentonii||Europe, Asia||6-144<ref name="Encarnação 2005">Encarnação, J. A., Kierdorf, U., Holweg, D., Jasnoch, U., & Wolters, V. (2005). Sex‐related differences in roost‐site selection by Daubenton's bats Myotis daubentonii during the nursery period. Mammal Review, 35(3‐4), 285-294.</ref> |- |Long-eared myotis|| Myotis evotis||Canada, Western U.S.||4<ref name="Rancourt 2005">Rancourt, S. J., Rule, M. I., & O'Connell, M. A. (2005). Maternity roost site selection of long-eared myotis, Myotis evotis. Journal of Mammalogy, 86(1), 77-84.</ref> |- |Tricolored bat||Perimyotis subflavus||Eastern U.S.||9-40<ref name="Hoying 1998">Hoying, K. M., & Kunz, T. H. (1998). Variation in size at birth and post‐natal growth in the insectivorous bat Pipistrellus subflavus (Chiroptera: Vespertilionidae). Journal of Zoology, 245(1), 15-27.</ref><ref name="Winchell 1996">Winchell, J. M., & Kunz, T. H. (1996). Day-roosting activity budgets of the eastern pipistrelle bat, Pipistrellus subflavus (Chiroptera: Vespertilionidae). Canadian Journal of Zoology, 74(3), 431-441.</ref> |- |Parti-coloured bat||Vespertilio murinus||Europe, Asia||>30<ref name="Granat 2023">Granat, M. M. (2023). Confirmation of the presence of Vespertilio murinus maternity colony in Warsaw. Przegląd Przyrodniczy, XXXIV, 3 (2023), 101-103.</ref> |- |Big brown bat||Eptesicus fuscus||North America, Central America, the Caribbean||20-100<ref name= "WI DNR">{{cite web |url=http://dnr.wi.gov/files/PDF/pubs/er/ER0707.pdf |title=Big Brown Bat (Eptesicus fuscus) Species Guidance |author=<!--Not stated--> |date=11 Sep 2013 |website=Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources |access-date=2 March 2013}}</ref> |- |Serotine bat||Eptesicus serotinus||Europe, Asia||5-200<ref name="Catto 1996">Catto, C. M. C., Hutson, A. M., Raccey, P. A., & Stephenson, P. J. (1996). Foraging behaviour and habitat use of the serotine bat (Eptesicus serotinus) in southern England. Journal of Zoology, 238(4), 623-633.</ref> |- |Northern bat||Eptesicus nilsonii||Europe, Asia||10-70<ref name="Rydell 1989">Rydell, J. (1989). Site fidelity in the northern bat (Eptesicus nilssoni) during pregnancy and lactation. Journal of mammalogy, 70(3), 614-617.</ref> |- |Silver-haired bat||Lasionycteris noctivagans||Bermuda, Canada, Mexico, U.S.||8<ref name="Betts 1998">Betts, B. J. (1998). Roosts used by maternity colonies of silver-haired bats in northeastern Oregon. Journal of Mammalogy, 79(2), 643-650.</ref> |- |Townsend's big-eared bat||Corynorhinus townsendii||Canada, Mexico, U.S.||40-55<ref name="Mazurek 2004">Mazurek, M. J. (2004). A maternity roost of Townsend's big-eared bats (Corynorhinus townsendii) in coast redwood basal hollows in northwestern California. Northwestern Naturalist, 85(2), 60-62.</ref> |- |Virginia big-eared bat||Corynorhinus townsendii virginianus|| Appalachian U.S.||100-6335<ref name="biodiv">{{cite web |url=http://www.biologicaldiversity.org/campaigns/esa_works/profile_pages/VirginiaBigearedBat.html |title=Virginia big-eared bat |author=<!--Not stated--> |website=Center for Biological Diversity |access-date=2 March 2017}}</ref> |- |Ozark big-eared bat||Corynorhinus townsendii ingens|| AR, OK, MO||55-309<ref name="Clark 1997">Clark, B. K., Clark, B. S., & Leslie Jr, D. M. (1997). Seasonal variation in use of caves by the endangered Ozark big-eared bat (Corynorhinus townsendii ingens) in Oklahoma. American Midland Naturalist, 388-392.</ref> |- |Rafinesque's big-eared bat||Corynorhinus rafinesquii||Southeastern U.S.|| ≤118<ref name="Hurst 1999">Hurst, T. E., & Lacki, M. J. (1999). Roost selection, population size and habitat use by a colony of Rafinesque's big-eared bats (Corynorhinus rafinesquii). The American midland naturalist, 142(2), 363-371.</ref> |- |Common noctule||Nyctalus noctula||Europe, Asia, North Africa||20-50<ref name="IUCN">{{cite iucn |author=Csorba, G. |author2=Hutson, A.M. |date=2016 |title=''Nyctalus noctula'' |volume=2016 |article-number=e.T14920A22015682 |doi=10.2305/IUCN.UK.2016-2.RLTS.T14920A22015682.en |access-date=12 November 2021}}</ref> |- |Common pipistrelle||Pipistrellus pipistrellus||Europe, North Africa, Asia||92-262<ref name="Webb 1996">Webb, P. I., Speakman, J. R., & Racey, P. A. (1996). Population dynamics of a maternity colony of the pipistrelle bat (Pipistrellus pipistrellus) in north‐east Scotland. Journal of Zoology, 240(4), 777-780.</ref> |- |Nathusius's pipistrelle||Pipistrellus nathusii||Europe||5-150<ref name="Russ 1998">Russ, J. M., O'Neill, J. K., & Montgomery, W. I. (1998). Nathusius' pipistrelle bats (Pipistrellus nathusii, Keyserling & Blasius 1839) breeding in Ireland. Journal of Zoology, 245(3), 345-349.</ref> |- |Evening bat||Nycticeius humeralis||Eastern U.S.|| ≤492<ref name="Whitaker 1992">Whitaker Jr, J. O., & Clem, P. (1992). Food of the evening bat Nycticeius humeralis from Indiana. American Midland Naturalist, 211-214.</ref> |- |Gould's wattled bat||Chalinolobus gouldii||Australia||20-30<ref name="Dixon 1989">Dixon, J. M., & Huxley, L. (1989). Observations on a maternity colony of Gould's wattled bat Chalinolobus gouldii (Chiroptera: Vespertilionidae). Mammalia, 53(3), 395-414.</ref> |- |Southern forest bat||Vespadelus regulus||Australia||<25<ref name="Taylor 1988">Taylor, R. J., & Savva, N. M. (1988). Use of roost sites by four species of bats in state forest in south-eastern Tasmania. Wildlife Research, 15(6), 637-645.</ref> |- |Lesser long-eared bat||Nyctophilus geoffroyi||Australia|| 3-23 <ref name="Taylor 1988"/> |- |Pallid bat||Antrozous pallidus||Canada, Western U.S., Mexico||10-150<ref name="Davis 1963">Davis, R., & Cockrum, E. L. (1963). Bridges utilized as day-roosts by bats. Journal of Mammalogy, 44(3), 428-430.</ref> |- |Barbastelle||Barbastella barbastellus||Europe||10<ref name="Hillen 2009">Hillen, J., Kiefer, A., & Veith, M. (2009). Foraging site fidelity shapes the spatial organisation of a population of female western barbastelle bats. Biological Conservation, 142(4), 817-823.</ref> |- |Allen's big-eared bat||Plecotus phyllotis||Southwestern U.S., Mexico||18-97<ref name="Cockrum 1964">Cockrum, E. L., & Musgrove, B. F. (1964). Additional records of the Mexican big-eared bat, Plecotus phyllotis (Allen), from Arizona. Journal of Mammalogy, 45(3), 472-474.</ref> |- |'''Family: Rhinolophidae''' |- |Mehely's horseshoe bat||Rhinolophus mehelyi||Europe, Middle East||<60<ref name="Sharifi">Sharifi, M. (2004). Postnatal growth and age estimation in the Mehely's horseshoe bat (Rhinolophus mehelyi). Acta Chiropterologica, 6(1), 155-161.</ref> |- |Lesser horseshoe bat||Rhinolophus hipposideros||Europe, North Africa, Asia||2-750<ref name="Bontadina 2000">Bontadina, F., Arlettaz, R., Fankhauser, T., Lutz, M., Mühlethaler, E., Theiler, A., & Zingg, P. (2000). The lesser horseshoe bat Rhinolophus hipposideros in Switzerland: present status and research recommendations. Le Rhinolophe, 14, 69-83.</ref><ref>{{cite journal |last1=Knight |first1=Tessa |last2=Jones |first2=Gareth |title=Importance of night roosts for bat conservation: roosting behaviour of the lesser horseshoe bat Rhinolophus hipposideros |journal=Endangered Species Research |date=2009 |volume=8 |issue=1–2 |page=2 |doi=10.3354/esr00194}}</ref> |- |Rufous horseshoe bat||Rhinolophus rouxii||Asia, Southeast Asia||50-60<ref name="Biswas 2011">Biswas, J., & Shrotriya, S. (2011). Dandak: a mammalian dominated cave ecosystem of India. Subterranean Biology, 8, 1.</ref> |- |'''Family: Molossidae''' |- |Mexican free-tailed bat||Tadarida brasiliensis||U.S., Central America, South America|| ≤15 million<ref name="Bracken">{{cite web |url=http://www.batcon.org/our-work/regions/usa-canada/protect-mega-populations/bracken-cave |title=Protecting a Jewel in Texas |author=<!--Not stated--> |website=Bat Conservation International|access-date=2 March 2017 }}</ref> |- |Big free-tailed bat||Nyctinomops macrotis||North America, Central America, South America||≤2,000<ref name="Sparks 2003">Sparks, D. W., & Valdez, E. W. (2003). Food habits of Nyctinomops macrotis at a maternity roost in New Mexico, as indicated by analysis of guano. The Southwestern Naturalist, 48(1), 132-135.</ref> |- |'''Family: Phyllostomatidae''' |- |Geoffroy's tailless bat||Anoura geoffroyi||Central America, South America||<150<ref name="Galindo 2000">Galindo-Galindo, C., Castro-Campillo, A., Salame-Méndez, A., & Ramírez-Pulido, J. (2000). Reproductive events and social organization in a colony of Anoura geoffroyi (Chiroptera: Phyllostomidae) from a temperate Mexican cave. Acta Zoológica Mexicana, (80), 51-68.</ref> |- |'''Family:Miniopteridae''' |- |Common bent-wing bat||Miniopterus schreibersii||Europe, Asia, Australia||2,500-5,000<ref name="Vincent 2010">Vincent, S., Nemoz, M., & Aulagnier, S. (2010). Activity and foraging habitats of Miniopterus schreibersii (Chiroptera: Miniopteridae) in southern France: implications for its conservation. Hystrix: The Italian Journal of Mammalogy, 22(1).</ref> |- |'''Family: Pteripodidae''' |- |Bornean large flying fox||Pteropus vampyrus|| Borneo||<15,000<ref name="Gumal 2004">Gumal, M. T. (2004). Diurnal home range and roosting trees of a maternity colony of Pteropus vampyrus natunae (Chiroptera: Pteropodidae) in Sedilu, Sarawak. Journal of Tropical Ecology, 20(03), 247-258.</ref> |}

== References == {{reflist}}

Category:Bats