Conservation and Management of Eastern Big-eared Bats A Symposium y Edited b Susan C. Loeb, Michael J. Lacki, and Darren A. Miller U.S. Department of Agriculture Forest Service Southern Research Station General Technical Report SRS-145 DISCLAIMER The use of trade or firm names in this publication is for reader information and does not imply endorsement by the U.S. Department of Agriculture of any product or service. Papers published in these proceedings were submitted by authors in electronic media. Some editing was done to ensure a consistent format. Authors are responsible for content and accuracy of their individual papers and the quality of illustrative materials. Cover photos: Large photo: Craig W. Stihler; small left photo: Joseph S. Johnson; small middle photo: Craig W. Stihler; small right photo: Matthew J. Clement. December 2011 Southern Research Station 200 W.T. Weaver Blvd. Asheville, NC 28804 Conservation and Management of Eastern Big-eared Bats: A Symposium Athens, Georgia March 9–10, 2010 Edited by: Susan C. Loeb U.S Department of Agriculture Forest Service Southern Research Station Michael J. Lacki University of Kentucky Darren A. Miller Weyerhaeuser NR Company Sponsored by: Forest Service Bat Conservation International National Council for Air and Stream Improvement (NCASI) Warnell School of Forestry and Natural Resources Offield Family Foundation ContEntS Preface . v Conservation and Management of Eastern Big-Eared Bats: An Introduction . 1 Susan C. Loeb, Michael J. Lacki, and Darren A. Miller Distribution and Status of Eastern Big-eared Bats (Corynorhinus Spp .) . 13 Mylea L. Bayless, Mary Kay Clark, Richard C. Stark, Barbara S. Douglas, and Shauna M. Ginger Ecology of tree-Roosting Rafinesque’s Big-Eared Bats in the Eastern United States . 27 Austin W. Trousdale Diet and Foraging Behavior of Corynorhinus in Eastern north America . 39 Michael J. Lacki and Luke E. Dodd Conservation and Management of Eastern Big-Eared Bats (Corynorhinus Spp .) . 53 Darren A. Miller, Craig W. Stihler, D. Blake Sasse, Rick Reynolds, Paul Van Deusen, and Steven B. Castleberry Rafinesque’s Big-Eared Bat (Corynorhinus Rafinesquii) in Mississippi: Distribution, Current Status, and Conservation needs . 63 Chester O. Martin, Alison S. McCartney, David Richardson, Austin W. Trousdale, and Monica S. Wolters Status of the Virginia Big-Eared Bat (Corynorhinus Townsendii Virginianus) in West Virginia: twenty-Seven Years of Monitoring Cave Roosts . 75 Craig W. Stihler Phylogenetic and Population Genetic Assessment of Rafinesque’s Big-Eared Bat (Corynorhinus Rafinesquii) . 85 Antoinette J. Piaggio, David A. Saugey, and D. Blake Sasse Characteristics of Roosts Used by Rafinesque’s Big-Eared Bat (Corynorhinus Rafinesquii) on Camp Mackall, north Carolina . 101 Piper L. Roby, Mark W. Gumbert, Price L. Sewell, and Steven W. Brewer iii Seasonal and Multiannual Roost Use by Rafinesque’s Big-eared Bats in the Coastal Plain of South Carolina . 111 Susan C. Loeb and Stanley J. Zarnoch Winter Roosting Behavior of Rafinesque’s Big-Eared Bat in Southwestern Arkansas . 123 D. Blake Sasse, David A. Saugey, and Daniel R. England Foraging and Roosting Ecology of Rafinesque’s Big-Eared Bat at the northern Edge of the Range . 129 Joseph S. Johnson and Michael J. Lacki Radiotelemetry Studies of Female Virginia Big-Eared Bats (Corynorhinus Townsendii Virginianus) in Pendleton County, West Virginia . 139 Craig W. Stihler Comparison of Survey Methods for Rafinesque’s Big-Eared Bats . 147 Matthew J. Clement and Steven B. Castleberry iv PREFACE In February 2007, the inaugural meeting of the Rafinesque’s Authors were encouraged, but not required, to submit Big-Eared Bat Working Group was held in Destin, FL. their contributions for publication in these proceedings. The goal of the working group was to provide a forum for The symposium was sponsored by Bat Conservation communication on research, management, and conservation International; the National Council for Air and Stream of Rafinesque’s big-eared bats (Corynorhinus rafinesquii), Improvement; the U.S. Forest Service, Savannah River; the a rare and sensitive species. There was consensus among Offield Family Foundation; the Southeastern Bat Diversity participants at the meeting that much information remained Network; and the University of Georgia, Warnell School of to be acquired before effective management of these animals Forestry and Natural Resources. The planning committee was possible. It was also evident from the presentations and was chaired by Steven B. Castleberry, University of Georgia. discussion that a considerable amount of research had been Other members of the planning committee were Mary Kay conducted on the species, especially over the past several Clark, Moonlight Environmental Consulting; Susan C. Loeb, years, but much of the research has not been published or is U.S. Forest Service, Southern Research Station; Darren A. not readily available. Thus, potentially valuable information Miller, Weyerhaeuser NR Company; and David A. Saugey, remained in filing cabinets and desk drawers and not in the U.S. Forest Service, Ouachita National Forest. hands of the people who need it most—the biologists and managers of State, Federal, and private lands that harbor The goal of these proceedings is to provide an easily these bats, and the State and Federal Agencies responsible accessible publication that can be used by biologists for their conservation. It was also agreed that a similar and managers as they draft management strategies and situation likely existed for the two other taxa of big-eared policy, and to further the understanding of the ecology of bats in the Eastern United States, the Virginia big-eared bat these species. The papers in this volume were subjected (C. t. virginianus) and the Ozark big-eared bat (C. t. ingens), to the scientific peer-review process. Each manuscript which are federally listed as endangered. Thus, it was was assigned to one of the three editors and reviewed by decided to hold a symposium to encourage researchers two professionals familiar with the organisms and topic. and biologists to present and publish new information on Comments and suggestions by the reviewers improved the biology, ecology, and status of eastern big-eared bats the quality of the manuscripts and we are grateful to the and to synthesize existing information. A further goal following professionals for their time and expertise: Michael of this symposium was to stimulate discussion on future Baker, Troy Best, Eric Britzke, Timothy Carter, Brian Carver, conservation, management, and research needs of these bats. Steven Castleberry, Matthew Clement, Chris Comer, Barbara Douglas, Mark Ford, Shauna Ginger, Joe Johnson, Matina The symposium, held in Athens, GA, in March 2010, Kalcounis-Rüeppell, Jim Kennedy, Dennis Krusac, Paul consisted of 7 invited presentations on general ecological Leberg, Chester Martin, Darren Miller, Joy O’Keefe, Richard topics, 15 contributed oral presentations and 3 poster Reynolds, Christopher Rice, Lynn Robbins, Blake Sasse, presentations on more specific research results, and a panel David Saugey, Austin Trousdale, Maarten Vonhof, John discussion on future directions in research and management. Whitaker, and Bently Wigley. v CONSERVATION AND MANAGEMENT OF EASTERN BIG-EARED BATS: AN INTRODUCTION Susan C. Loeb, Research Ecologist, U.S. Department of Agriculture Forest Service, Southern Research Station, Clemson, SC 29634 Michael J. Lacki, Professor, University of Kentucky, Department of Forestry, Lexington, KY 40546 Darren A. Miller, Manager, Weyerhaeuser NR Company, Southern Environmental Research, Columbus, MS 39704 Abstract—Three taxa of big-eared bats (genus Corynorhinus) inhabit the Eastern United States. Rafinesque’s big- eared bats (C. rafinesquii) are widely distributed from West Virginia to Texas whereas the Virginia big-eared bat (C. t. virginianus) and the Ozark big-eared bat (C. t. ingens) have limited ranges. Over the past 20 years, research on the biology, ecology, and conservation of bats throughout the world has increased, but research on big-eared bats of the Eastern United States has been less extensive. In evaluating the current state of knowledge, we reviewed the existing literature on big-eared bats that inhabit the Eastern United States and found 155 references, of which 101 were research notes, full articles, or review papers. In contrast, we found 239 references on the Indiana bat (Myotis sodalis), an endangered species with a similar geographic range size in the Eastern United States. Through our assessment of the literature on big-eared bats, we identified many gaps in our knowledge and understanding, including demography, population dynamics, social organization, hibernation and other aspects of physiological ecology, foraging behavior and diet, the effects of forest management, and the effects of conservation efforts. We also found that research on Virginia and Ozark big-eared bats has decreased in recent years while research on Rafinesque’s big-eared bats has increased. Papers in these proceedings fill many of the knowledge gaps but much research is still needed to provide managers with the information they need to conserve these sensitive species. INTRODUCTION Piaggio and others 2009; Szymanski 2009; U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service 1995, 2008). Urbanization and development Big-eared bats (genus Corynorhinus) are some of the are projected to increase in the coming decades (Alig and most striking and recognizable bats in the Eastern United others 2003,