Activity patterns of pipistrelle bats (Pipistrellus pipistrellus) in Oxfordshire

Abstract

A maternity colony of pipistrelle bats (Pipisfrellus pipistrellus), in Oxfordshire, was monitored between 1 March 1989 and 6 October 1989. An infra‐red ‘automatic bat counter’ was installed at the roost, to record the number of bats entering and leaving each minute throughout the night. Air temperature, light intensity at sunset, cloud cover, wind speed and rain were recorded on each night of monitoring. Insect abundance was estimated on 18 nights. The nightly activity pattern was found to be unimodal in pregnancy, bimodal during lactation and unimodal post‐weaning. The mean time that each bat spent outside the roost ranged from 103–483 min, with a mean of 321 min. Ambient air temperature and length of night were significant factors affecting mean time spent outside the roost. The percentage of the night which the bats spent away from the roost ranged from 22 to 88%, with a mean of 64%. There was a significant positive correlation between ambient air temperature and percentage of the night spent away from the roost. Insect abundance showed no significant correlation with the time that bats spent outside the roost. Wind and rain had no apparent effect on time spent outside the roost.

Roosting behaviour and phenology of the Lesser horseshoe bat (Rhinolophus hipposideros) in a breeding colony in Sintra, Portugal

“…Many studies demonstrated that low temperatures may delay, reduce or avoid the foraging periods of many insectivorous bat species (Anthony et al 1981, Catto et al 1995, Maier 1992. In fact, in Portugal, temperature and bat activity seem to be positively related (Amorim et al 2012), a pattern also described in another locations (Vaughan et al 1997, Erickson & West 2002 which may suggest that temperature is a good predictor of bat activity.…”

Variability of foraging and roosting activities in adult females of Daubenton’s bat (Myotis daubentonii) in different seasons

“…Henry et al (2002) suggested that the decrease in spatial activity may probably be facilitated by the concomitant increase in insect biomass during the lactation period. Alternative explanation of the decrease in spatial activity in lactating females is the need of more frequent nightly visitation of the roosts in order to suckle their pups (Swift 1980;Maier 1992;Henry et al 2002). Indeed, the frequency of nightly roost visitation increased substantially from pregnancy to lactation in radio-tracked Daubenton's bats.…”

Habitat use and nocturnal activity of lesser short‐tailed bats(Mystacina tuberculata)in comparison with long‐tailed bats(Chalinolobus tuberculatus)in temperate rainforest

“…Influence of ambient temperature on foraging activity Ambient temperature and invertebrate activity are consistent predictors of bat activity (e.g., Anthony et al 1981;Audet 1990;Maier 1992;Rautenbach et al 1996;Hayes 1997). Minimum temperatures influence bats' physiologically, making activity uneconomic below certain thresholds.…”