Bat Species of California's Central Coast Region

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An environmental summary created by the ENVS 560/L Watershed Systems class at CSUMB.

This is a list of bat species found in California's Central Coast Region. The intention of this page is to educate the reader on the species' identification, distribution, habitat, life histories, and conservation status.

Key to Conservation Status Abbreviations

Agencies & Organization Designation
California Department of Fish and Wildlife Species of Special Concern SSC
United States Forest Service (USFS) Sensitive Species[1] USFS
United States Bureau of Land Management (BLM) Sensitive Species[2] BLMS
Western Bat Working Group High Priority WBWG(H)
Western Bat Working Group Medium Priority WBWG(M)
Western Bat Working Group Low Priority WBWG(L)
Family Scientific Name Common Name Conservation Status
Molossidae Eumops perotis californicus Western mastiff bat WBWG(M); SSC; BLMS
Molossidae Tadarida brasiliensis Mexican free-tailed bat; Brazilian free-tailed bat WBWG(L)
Vespertilionidae Antrozous pallidus Pallid bat WBWG(L); SSC; BLMS
Vespertilionidae Corynorhinus townsendii (formerly Plecotus townsendii) Townsend's big-eared bat WBWG(H); SSC; BLMS
Vespertilionidae Eptesicus fuscus Big brown bat WBWG(L)
Vespertilionidae Euderma maculatum Spotted bat WBWG(M); SSC; BLMS
Vespertilionidae Lasionycteris noctivagans Silver-haired bat WBWG(M)
Vespertilionidae Lasiurus blossevillii Western red bat WBWG(H)
Vespertilionidae Lasiurus cinereus Hoary bat WBWG(M)
Vespertilionidae Myotis californicus California myotis WBWG(L)
Vespertilionidae Myotis ciliolabrum Western small-footed myotis WBWG(M); SSC; BLMS; USFS
Vespertilionidae Myotis evotis Long-eared myotis WBWG(M); SSC; BLMS
Vespertilionidae Myotis lucifugus Little brown myotis WBWG(M)
Vespertilionidae Myotis thysanodes Fringed myotis WBWG(M); SSC; BLMS; USFS
Vespertilionidae Myotis volans Long-legged myotis WBWG(M); SSC; BLMS
Vespertilionidae Myotis yumanensis Yuma myotis WBWG(L); BLMS
Vespertilionidae Parastrellus hesperus Western pipistrelle; Canyon bat WBWG(L)

Western mastiff bat (Eumops perotis californicus)

Mexican free-tailed bat (Tadarida brasiliensis)

Pallid bat (Antrozous pallidus)

Townsend's big-eared bat (Corynorhinus townsendii)

Big brown bat (Eptesicus fuscus)

Spotted bat (Euderma maculatum)

Silver-haired bat (Lasionycteris noctivagans)

Western red bat (Lasiurus blossevillii)

Hoary bat (Lasiurus cinereus)

California myotis (Myotis californicus)

Western small-footed myotis (Myotis ciliolabrum)

Long-eared myotis (Myotis evotis)

Little brown myotis (Myotis lucifugus)

Fringed myotis (Myotis thysanodes)

Long-legged myotis (Myotis volans)

Yuma myotis (Myotis yumanensis)

Western pipistrelle (Parastrellus hesperus)

Threats to Bat Species

Wind Energy

As wind energy has increased in popularity as a clean energy source within the Central California Coast region [3]. However, widespread deployment of wind turbines has resulted in the death of millions of bat species [4]. Migratory bats, like the hoary bat and silver-haired bat, are disproportionately impacted by wind turbines [5]. Recent studies have evidence to suggest that bat fatalities at wind farms result from being physically struck by rotating blades in addition to lung collapse caused by the change in air pressure caused by turbines [6]. As a result of these unprecedented mortalities, coalitions such as Bats and Wind Energy Cooperative have brought representatives from government agencies, private industry, academic institutions, and non-governmental organizations together to curtail and prevent mortality of bats at wind energy facilities. Additionally, the California Energy Commission approved voluntary guidelines for reducing impacts to birds and bats from wind energy development.

Habitat Loss

As natural habitat becomes more scarce bats struggle to find suitable roosting, foraging and pupping habitat. Habitat loss results from destruction, fragmentation, and degradation. California's Central Coast has experienced intense habitat destruction as land was converted for agriculture. In Monterey County, 61% of the total land is designated as agricultural land [7]. Fragmentation occurs when land becomes divided and a space that used to be wide open and connected to other natural spaces is now isolated and reduces connectivity. Degradation of habitat can also occur as a result of increased pesticide use[8], light pollution [9], or contaminated water[10].

Image 1. White-nose syndrome Occurrence Map by Year

White-nose syndrome

White-nose syndrome (WNS) is a disease has killed an estimated 6.7 million bats in North America since 2006[11]. WNS is caused by an invasive fungal pathogen (Pseudogymnoascus destructans), which was likely unintentionally introduced from Europe by humans[11]. This fungus kills hibernating bats but has been detected on migratory bats that remain unaffected by WNS[11]. During hibernation, bats lower their metabolic, heart, and respiratory rates which increases their energy efficiency and subsequently lowers their immune systems[12]. This fungus feeds on the soft tissue of hibernating bats (i.e. face and wings) and causes them to arouse from torpor thus depleting their limited fat reserves and resulting in death[11]. The mortality rate of a bat with WNS is estimated to be as high as 90-100%[13]. Unfortunately, a population-wide treatment for WNS has not been found.

WNS syndrome has been detected in 33 states, including California which had its first confirmed case in Plumas County during 2019 surveillance efforts[14]. Although WNS has not been detected in California's Central Coast Region, the recent detection in northern California has prompted CDFW to increase statewide surveillance efforts in addition to monitoring impacts on bat populations, and assisting with research on disease management[14].

Importance of Bat Species to California's Central Coast Region

Pest Control in Agriculture

All bat species in the California Central Coast Region are insectivores and primary predators of beetles, moths, leafhoppers, and other insects that cost farmers billions of dollars annually in pest management. Bat consumption of insects results in increased crop yields, and reduced insecticide application which results in increased profits and improved environmental quality. Pest-control services provided by bats in the United States alone range from a low of $3.7 billion to a high of $53 billion annually.[15] Agriculture plays a very important role in California's Central Coast Region; Monterey County agriculture generates $8.1 billion annually to the local economy.[7] As bat populations decline, the cost of their pest-control will cascade into the agricultural industry.

A number of studies have been conducted on bat foraging and have found the following:

  • A nursing, female little brown bat eats more than her own body weight (4-6 grams) nightly.[16]
  • Pallid bats consume large numbers of grasshoppers and crickets that can damage crops .[17]
  • A single red bat can eat 100 moths in a night, that would otherwise produce 25,000 new caterpillars that would eat crops.[18]
  • A colony of 150 bats will eat more than a million insects each season.[19]
  • In addition to eating insects, bat calls have been found to "chase" away pest insects such as cutworms, armyworms, and bollworms from crops up to 130 feet away.[19]

Bioindicator Species

Bats reflect the status of the plant populations where they roost and forage as well as the productivity of insect communities, making them ideal bioindicator taxa.[20] Bioindicators are used to show measurable responses to environmental stressors, such as water quality, that reflect wider-scale impacts on biota.

Pollution of surface water has been a long-standing problem for California's Central Coast Region, particularly in the Salinas River. Under the Clean Water Act section 303d California has identified and listed impaired waterbodies in the Monterey Region however, many waterbodies still need to be evaluated. Utilizing bat surveys as a proxy for evaluating ecosystem health within the region could be a viable option.

Reporting Sick, Dead or Injured Bats

Please report any unusual behavior observed in bats, such as trouble flying, flying during the daytime or during cold winter weather, dying or sick bats (on the ground, unable to fly), or bats that have a white fungus on their face or wings to California Department of Fish and Wildlife (CDFW) by clicking here.

If you have found a bat that appears to be injured, please contact your local bat rehabilitator:

Links

References

  1. https://nrm.dfg.ca.gov/FileHandler.ashx?DocumentID=109406&inline
  2. https://www.blm.gov/sites/blm.gov/files/documents/files/Programs_FishandWildlife_BLMCA%20Special%20Status%20Species.pdf
  3. https://eerscmap.usgs.gov/uswtdb/viewer/#7.28/36.465/-120.467
  4. https://www.usgs.gov/centers/fort/science/bat-fatalities-wind-turbines-investigating-causes-and-consequences?qt-science_center_objects=0#qt-science_center_objects
  5. https://tethys.pnnl.gov/sites/default/files/publications/Arnett-Final-Report-2009.pdf
  6. http://batsandwind.org/wp-content/uploads/hornetal2008.pdf
  7. 7.0 7.1 https://www.co.monterey.ca.us/home/showdocument?id=43988
  8. https://pdfs.semanticscholar.org/41a2/e60c16503c1425b0ab001b68485ab2b90b1f.pdf
  9. https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2019/03/190327080702.htm
  10. https://www.smithsonianmag.com/science-nature/where-clean-drinking-water-is-hard-to-find-bats-could-lead-way-180968941/
  11. 11.0 11.1 11.2 11.3 https://www.biologicaldiversity.org/campaigns/bat_crisis_white-nose_syndrome/Q_and_A.html
  12. https://www.nps.gov/subjects/bats/hibernate-or-migrate.htm
  13. https://cwhl.vet.cornell.edu/disease/white-nose-syndrome
  14. 14.0 14.1 https://www.whitenosesyndrome.org/press-release/deadly-bat-fungus-detected-in-california
  15. https://science.sciencemag.org/content/332/6025/41
  16. https://escholarship.org/uc/item/9bs900wj
  17. https://www.nrcs.usda.gov/Internet/FSE_DOCUMENTS/nrcs143_010028.pdf
  18. https://www.nrcs.usda.gov/Internet/FSE_DOCUMENTS/nrcs143_010028.pdf
  19. 19.0 19.1 http://calag.ucanr.edu/download_pdf.cfm?article=ca.v052n01p8
  20. https://www.int-res.com/articles/esr2009/8/n008p093.pdf

Disclaimer

This page may contain student work completed as part of assigned coursework. It may not be accurate and does not necessarily reflect the opinion or policy of CSUMB, its staff, or students.