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Revision as of 13:14, 14 May 2004 by 63.74.208.50 (talk)(diff) ← Previous revision | Latest revision (diff) | Newer revision → (diff)Eastern Pipistrelle Pipistrellus subflavus
This reddish, yellowish and brownish bat is one of the smallest bats in eastern North America. They are very weak flyers and often slow. Pipistrelles fly with a distinctive moth -like pattern. For that pattern it is nick-named "the butterfly bat". The buterfly bat is one of the most common species of bats found throughout the eastern parts of America. These are the first bats to come out at dusk each evening. Since they can't stand the cold they are among the first bats to hibernate from fall to spring. Hibernation takes 6- 9 months in caves or mines and even rock crevices. Pipistrelles aren't very social with one another so they usually hibernate alone or in very small groups. Once hibernation is done they're out flying once again.
Mating always occurs in autumn. The females store their mates sperm inside their reproductive tracts during their hibernation in the winter and ovulate in early spring. When they wake up from hibernation. Females form a maternity colonies that are no bigger than 20 bats. The colonies are usually exposed to more light than any other bat species. THe males are left alone in the tree leaves in caves. 60 days after they're expecting, 2 twin pups are born around June. Each one weighs 20% of its mother's weight. For the first few days after they're born the mother carries the twin pups. They grow fast and are flying within 14-21 days and stop getting nursed at 4 weeks of age.
These bats eat small insects. When the pipistrelles capture food they use the tail or wing membranes to restrain their prey. Some insects are even captured by their tail membrane. It forms a pouch and the bat bends it's head in to grab the insect with it's teeth and in it's mouth. They can catch insects as much as every 2 seconds and increase their mass 25% in half an hour.
The butterfly bats are not appreciated by many people when they fly into their houses. A main reason why they are not wanted is because some of them have rabies, but they aren't as dangerous as people think they are. A good thing about the pipistrelles are that they help control the population of harmful insects. Male pipstrelles live for about15 years and females, 10 years.
Kingdom: Animalia Phylum: Chordata Class: Mammalia Order: Chiroptera Family: Vespertilionidae Genus: Pipistrellus Species: Subflavus