AMERICAN BATS — ^HANDLEY 135 



quarrels, and a shi'ill, long-drawn, querulous, cliildlike note uttered 

 when the bat is disturbed or surprised. There are also buzzing 

 sounds, and a short, melodious, trilling, birdlike sound used for 

 communication, both in flight and at rest. 



Moffat (1922, p. 107) observed mating both before and after 

 hibernation. The single young is born in June or July. Females 

 commonly form nursery colonies of up to 50 or 100 or more indi- 

 viduals during spring and summer. Large winter aggregations are 

 infrequent. Solitary hibernating individuals are often found. The 

 long-ear is ordinarily rather quarrelsome in disposition, attacking 

 and biting bats of other species that venture too near its roosting 

 spot. It has been observed to attack and drive away the pipistrelle 

 from its feeding area. Occasionally mixed colonies of P. auritus and 

 Pipistrellus pipistrellus and various species of Myotis have been 

 encountered. 



Ryberg (1947, p. 71) tested the homing ability of the long-ear. 

 Two of nine banded individuals returned 32 miles from the point of 

 release to their home territory. 



P. auritus is easily maintained in captivity. It tames quickly, 

 eats readily, and remains in good health for some time. It is clean 

 in its habits, grooming itself carefully after feeding. It seems more 

 intelligent than other bats and is playful, alert, and lively, even in 

 daytime. 



Flower (1931, p. 161) recorded the survival of a P. auritus in 

 captivity for 1 year, 2 months, and 2 days. The maximum recorded 

 ages of banded, wild individuals are 5 years, 4 months (Ryberg, 

 1947, p. 78) and 5 years, 6 months (Verschuren, 1956, p. 5). 



Parasites: Stiles and Nolan (1931, p. 713) listed 27 genera of 

 parasites known to have infested P. auritus. 



Food: The long-eared bat is primarily a moth-eater. Gould 

 (1955, p. 400) reported Lepidoptera of 22 species in its diet. These 

 varied in wing spread from 30 to 67 millimeters (average 45). Re- 

 mains of several species of Coleoptera and Diptera have been found 

 in its droppings. In captivity it seems to prefer mealworms, but 

 will also accept flies and raw meat. 



Hibernation: In the British Isles the hibernating season for 

 P. auritus extends from about the middle of October to early April. 

 This species is a light sleeper, and if disturbed will generally wake, 

 chatter, and attempt to bite if touched. It sometimes emerges in 

 winter from its hibernating quarters when the weather is mild, and 

 it commonly shifts during the winter from spot to spot within its 

 place of hibernation without venturing out into the open. 



