Big Brown Bat
- Scientific Name
- Eptesicus fuscus
- Also Known As
- Big Brown Bat
- Range
- All of Florida
- Diet
- Beetles, Flies, Cockroaches, Flying Insects
- Life Expectancy
- 5 - 6 Year
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Brown Rats in Central Florida
The big brown bat (Eptesicus fuscus) is a common vespertilionid bat species found throughout much of North America. In central Florida, big brown bats thrive in urban and rural areas, roosting in buildings and foraging over water. This guide covers identification tips, biology, behavior, reproduction, ideal habitat, diet, health risks, and prevention and control of big brown bats in central Florida.
Appearance and Identification
Big brown bats can be identified by the following physical characteristics
Maturation Rate
Big brown bat pups grow rapidly after birth due to the high energy demand of flight. They are nearly adult sized in 3 to 4 weeks after birth. Pups become volant by 18 to 21 days old.
Sexual maturity is reached at 6 months to a year old. Average lifespans in the wild are 5 to 6 years for females and 2 to 3 years for males.
Habits and Behavior
Big brown bats are nocturnal, leaving roosts at dusk to forage. They utilize echolocation to navigate and hunt prey during flight. Big brown bats fly steadily and are fast, agile fliers.
They roost in hollow trees, rock crevices, bridges, barns, attics, and other man-made structures in both urban and rural areas. Big brown bats hibernate in winter in caves or buildings, entering torpor when temperatures drop below 10°C.
Reproduction and Lifespan
Mating occurs in autumn just prior to hibernation. Females store sperm over winter until spring. In May and June, females gather in maternity colonies of 20 to 300 bats.
Gestation is 60 days, after which a single pup is born in June or July. Pups begin flying by 3 weeks old. Lifespans in the wild average 5 to 6 years.