22 Thomas M. Padgett and Robert K. Rose 



In the piedmont of Virginia, Lewis (1940) found red bats to be 

 active at > 13°C, but Davis and Lidicker (1958) observed red bats in 

 West Virginia only on evenings when the temperature was > 19° C. 

 Kunz (1982) noted that temperature is a crucial factor in controlling 

 seasonal as well as daily activity patterns of many species of bats 

 inhabiting the temperate zones. 



During the winter, red bats emerged early but seemed to forage 

 only for a short period of time. In the Dismal Swamp, especially in 

 winter, the temperature fluctuates greatly, sometimes dropping as much 

 as 10° C within an hour or less. Consequently, emergence periods during 

 the winter were often brief; bats foraged briefly and then retired before 

 the ambient temperature dropped below 10° C. 



Many specimens collected during the winter had stomachs full of 

 insects. During the winter we observed numerous moths as well as 

 swarms of midges (Chironomidae) when many bats were active. The 

 activity patterns of bats may be correlated with the presence, abundance, 

 and activity patterns of insects, as well as with temperature. Twice we 

 observed bats as potential prey themselves when a red-shouldered hawk 

 (Buteo lineatus) and an American crow (Corvus brachyrhynchos) pursued 

 a foraging bat at treetop level; in neither instance did we see the 

 conclusion of the chases. Horsley (1991) reported seeing a blue jay 

 {Cyanocitta cristata) fall to the ground while trying to subdue a red bat 

 in Dare Co., N.C., indicating that such chases sometimes are successful 

 for the predator. 



Silver-haired bats are considered to be highly migratory (Barbour 

 and Davis 1969). Handley and Patton (1947) and Baily (1946) believed 

 that silver-haired bats are migrants in spring and autumn but may breed 

 in the mountainous regions of Virginia. However, silver-haired bats 

 were seen emerging from hollow trees in Lake Drummond during April, 

 suggesting that they may indeed breed within the Dismal Swamp. 



The species not collected during the survey may be equally 

 significant. No species of Myotis was collected within the GDSNWR, 

 although two records of Keen's myotis do exist for the Dismal Swamp 

 (Table 1). We expected to collect little brown bats, Myotis lucifugus 

 (LeConte), in part because D. Schwab (personal communication) had 

 taken them less than 400 m from the western boundary of the Dismal 

 Swamp, 5 km S of the Suffolk, Va., business district. Furthermore, the 

 little brown bat is considered to be the most abundant and widely 

 distributed bat in North America (Barbour and Davis 1969). However, 

 this colonial bat is not known to be a tree-dwelling species and is more 

 typically found inhabiting buildings and caves. During our survey, we 

 searched the few remaining buildings within the Dismal Swamp but 

 found no little brown bats. In the past, the numerous cabins and other 



