Eastern red bat

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 spongy 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.

References

Category:Bats
Category:Mammals of North America