The Virginia Big-eared Bat (Corynorhinus townsendii virginianus) is Virginia’s state bat, and is considered federally and state endangered. Bats in Virginia eat insects, and they are valuable in controlling mosquito populations. Fish and Wildlife Service. Seventeen species of bats have been recorded in Virginia. What's Happening to Our Bats? Researchers are careful when handling bats, as they are surprisingly delicate — O’Keefe notes that Virginia big-eared bats weigh about the same as 10 paper clips. Moths are the most important prey of Virginia big-eared bats. The Virginia big-eared bat has light to dark brown fur depending on age. Virginia big-eared bats prefer montane forests in most of their range but can also be found in arid habitats in drier regions and oak-hickory forests in the eastern part of their range. Bats in Virginia eat insects, and they are valuable in controlling mosquito populations. EnviroScience can assist with coordination and surveys for these and any other bat as needed. How can you tell a Townsend's from the other bats? Don’t bother with a bat repellent, they simply don’t work. Scientists use a bat detector to listen to bats. If you have bats in the attic, bats in the gable end vents of your home, or a bat flying around inside your Virginia house, we can help safely and humanely remove the bats … The eastern subspecies, the Virginia big-eared bat, is limited to only a few disjunct populations in Virginia, West Virginia, and North Carolina. Their fur is long and soft and the same from its base to its tip. The Virginia Big-eared Bat is the state bat of the Commonwealth. Did you know, we even have a state bat, the Virginia Big-eared bat, designated in 2005. About Them: These are some of the small brown bats that range the East Coast of the US. Inside the gaping mouth of Mammoth Cave, hibernating bats sleep in permanent twilight, each huddled in its own limestone crevice. These mammals consume 1/3 their weight in insects every night! Virginia big-eared bats have short toe hairs while Rafinesque's big-eared bats have hairs that extend past the toes. A similar species is Rafinesque’s big-eared bat. This bat gets its common name from its over-sized ears. Some bats can consume up to 3,000 insects in one night. The large ears, which it can fold tightly against its head, are this bat's most conspicuous feature. In contrast, Rafinesque's big-eared bats are gray-brown on the back with whitish underparts. Virginia's Bats at a Glance. Virginia big-eared bat (Corynorhinus (= Plecotus) townsendii virginianus) Characteristics. When picking up a bat, she states that they can often be “pretty squirmy,” but that this species is typically more docile. This bat is of medium size (total length= 90-112 mm, and weight 9-12 grams) with huge ears joined across the forehead. Bats of Virginia Of the 15 species of bat in Virginia, three are classified as endangered or threatened under state and federal law: gray, Indiana, and Virginia big-eared. The distribution and abundance of bats in western Virginia are poorly documented, especially in summer. Cave bats generally give birth to only one “pup” per year, and tree bats generally give birth to two or more “pups” per year. Getting rid of bats is our specialty. Causes of decline: Human disturbance is probably the biggest factor contributing to the decline of these bats. The Big Brown Bat, Evening Bat, Little Brown Bat, and Brazilian free-tailed bat are the four bat species in Virginia that are most likely to take residence in a building. It increased to about 10,000 during the 1980s [2], 15,000 during the 1990s [3, 4], and was estimated at 18,442 bats … A fierce attempt to keep endangered Virginia big-eared bats alive in captivity has shown just how difficult that noble task may be.