preliminary survey of the bats of the Deerlodge National Forest Montana
Subtitle: 1991
By: by Thomas W. Butts for the U.S.D.A. Forest Service, Deerlodge National Forest.
Contributors: Montana Natural Heritage Program.; Beaverhead-Deerlodge National Forest (Agency : U.S.)
Publisher: Montana Natural Heritage Program
Published: 1993
Place of publication: Helena, Mont
Language: eng
Number of pages: 35
Subjects: Bats -- Montana -- Deerlodge National Forest -- Surveys.; Bats -- Montana -- Deerlodge National Forest -- Geographical distribution.; Bats -- Conservation -- Montana.; Little brown bat -- Montana -- Deerlodge National Forest.; Long-eared myotis -- Montana -- Deerlodge National Forest.; Myotis yumanensis -- Montana -- Deerlodge National Forest.; Silver-haired bat -- Montana -- Deerlodge National Forest.; Big brown bat -- Montana -- Deerlodge National Forest.; Hoary bat -- Montana -- Deerlodge National Forest.; Mist netting.; Harp trap.; Adits.; Bats -- Detection -- Montana -- Equipment and supplies.; Bats -- Habitat -- Montana -- Deerlodge National Forest.; Caves -- Montana -- Deerlodge National Forest.; Deerlodge National Forest (Mont.)
Genres: Surveys.
Other titles: Bats of the Deerlodge National Forest
Description: Six species of bats, representing four genera, were documented by capture during this phase of the study.  These were the Big brown bat, (Eptesicus fuscus), the Little brown bat (Myotis lucifugus), the Yuma bat (Myotis yumanensis), the Long-eared myotis (Myotis evotis), the Hoary bat (Lasiurus cinereus), and the Silver-haired bat (Lasionycteris noctivagans).  Relative bat densities varied between habitats.  Those with rock-outcrops, beaver ponds, mature hardwoods, mature Douglas fir, or riparian areas nearby had the greatest bat activity.  Findley (1993) stated that an increase in species richness accompanies increased availability of roosts.  "Forested regions lacking cliffs, caverns, and caves support fewer species, and those that do occur are known to use trees as daytime roosts in summer.  Mountains, broken topography with opportunities for roosting in crevices, cliff faces, caverns, and caves support richer communities" (Findley, 1993).  Management prescriptions that maintain undisturbed stand of old-growth forest, especially stands of Douglas fir and mature hardwoods, the maintenance of healthy riparian area, and the preservation of caves and access to abandoned mine adits will provide roosting and foraging habitat for a diversity and abundance of bats.  Management activities that promote large lodgepole pine stands, and even-aged management will not.