Day-roost use by ‘ōpe‘ape‘a, the Hawaiian hoary bat (Lasiurus semotus)

Acta Chiropterologica
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Abstract

The ‘ōpe‘ape‘a, also known as the Hawaiian hoary bat (Lasiurus semotus; family Vespertilionidae), is a solitary, insectivorous, foliage-roosting endemic species. Over a three-year period, we investigated day-roost lability and fidelity of 35 bats at 52 roosts (for a total of 544 days of observation), and roost emergence and return patterns of 46 bats at 50 roosts (for a total of 277 days of observation). ‘Ōpe‘ape‘a exhibited low roost lability, typically using few roosts and switching roosts infrequently. Juveniles and reproductive females exhibited particularly low lability, whereas non-reproductive adults, especially males, displayed higher lability. Roost fidelity was generally high, with most bats consistently returning to the same roost or set of roosts. We also evaluated long-term use of roosts at 20 trees from 2019 to 2022. Six roost trees were used over a span of at least 180 days, and of these, three were used by multiple individuals that included maternity groups. We documented a maternity ‘cluster’ composed of multiple neighboring roosts used by different mother-pup groups and solitary bats during the same reproductive season. Measures of day-roost emergence times, nocturnal period spent at roosts, and number of nighttime departures showed high variability, were not significantly different among sex or reproductive groups and exhibited no seasonal trends. The study demonstrated that ‘ōpe‘ape‘a generally remain at the same day-roost for extended periods, unlike other tree-dwelling species, particularly lasiurines. The findings also suggest that individuals may prioritize familiar roosts and home range resources over exploring new roosts, potentially due to the permanence of suitable foliage roosts and predator avoidance strategies.

Suggested Citation

Gorresen, P., Montoya-Aiona, K., Courtot, K., Vievard, A.L., and Tupu, J.L., 2026, Day-roost use by ‘ōpe‘ape‘a, the Hawaiian hoary bat (Lasiurus semotus): Acta Chiropterologica, v. 27, no. 2, p. 233-248, https://doi.org/10.3161/15081109ACC2025.27.2.009.

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Publication type Article
Publication Subtype Journal Article
Title Day-roost use by ‘ōpe‘ape‘a, the Hawaiian hoary bat (Lasiurus semotus)
Series title Acta Chiropterologica
DOI 10.3161/15081109ACC2025.27.2.009
Volume 27
Issue 2
Publication Date February 10, 2026
Year Published 2026
Language English
Publisher BioOne
Contributing office(s) Pacific Island Ecosystems Research Center
Description 16 p.
First page 233
Last page 248
Country United States
State Hawaii
Other Geospatial Island of Hawaii
Additional publication details