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Changes in rates of capture and demographics of Myotis septentrionalis (Northern Long-eared Bat) in Western Virginia before and after onset of white-nose syndrome

Northeastern Naturalist
By: , , , , and 
https://doi.org/10.1656/045.023.0201

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Abstract

Documenting the impacts of white-nose syndrome (WNS) on demographic patterns, such as annual survivorship and recruitment, is important to understanding the extirpation or possible stabilization and recovery of species over time. To document demographic impacts of WNS on Myotis septentrionalis (Northern Long-eared Bat), we mistnetted at sites in western Virginia where Northern Long-eared Bats were captured in summer before (1990–2009) and after (2011–2013) the onset of WNS. Our mean capture rates per hour, adjusted for area of net and sampling duration, declined significantly from 0.102 bats/ m2/h before WNS to 0.005 bats/m2/h (-95.1%) by 2013. We noted a time lag in the rate of decline between published data based on bats captured during the swarming season and our summer mist-netting captures from the same geographic area. Although proportions of pregnant or lactating females did not vary statistically in samples obtained before and after the onset of WNS, the proportion of juvenile bats declined significantly (-76.7%), indicating that the viability of Northern Long-eared Bats in western Virginia is tenuous.

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Publication type Article
Publication Subtype Journal Article
Title Changes in rates of capture and demographics of Myotis septentrionalis (Northern Long-eared Bat) in Western Virginia before and after onset of white-nose syndrome
Series title Northeastern Naturalist
DOI 10.1656/045.023.0201
Volume 23
Issue 2
Year Published 2016
Language English
Publisher Eagle Hill Institute
Contributing office(s) Coop Res Unit Leetown
Description 10 p.
First page 195
Last page 204
Country United States
State Virginia
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