11/10/2023 0 Comments Do bats hibernate in iowa![]() It has to be warm enough for them and there has to be. They are the only mammal that can truly fly, and they have a keen sense of smell and hearing. WNS has wiped out bat populations in many U.S states and we do not want to take the risk of visitors spreading WNS to our cave. Bats are one of the most interesting creatures in the world. If a bat appears in the house during a prolonged deep freeze, you should contact a local wildlife rehabilitator who is licensed to care for rabies-vector species and see if they are able to take the bat. Bats in the Midwest states like Iowa should not be coming out of hibernation until around May or so. Bats in Iowa hibernate in caves, trees, and buildings. Bats should not be kept contained like this for long as they will quickly dehydrate in warm temperatures in the house. If temperatures are well below freezing, you can keep the bat in a box overnight until temperatures rise in the day, and release the bat at that time. If temperatures are above freezing, the bat can be released outside and should be able to find a new place to hibernate -under some bark, a hole in a tree, hopefully not back in the attic! While wearing gloves, place a container over the perched bat and and scoop it into the container. It is at this time that they can find their way out of the crawl space and into the house. ![]() Bats awaken occasionally during winter to move around a bit, or to adjust to changing temperatures if their spot is suddenly too warm or cold. When cold weather drives insects away, bats must choose to hunker down and hibernate or migrate to warmer areas with more abundant food supply. If you have a "winter bat" it's probably a big brown bat. ![]() They are more solitary than little brown bats and more likely to hibernate in an attic, crawl space, or wall. Big brown bats, Eptesicus fuscus, have a body size of 3.9-5.1 inches and an 11-13 inch wingspan. Both the little brown and big brown bat can end up in the house in winter, but it is much more likely for the bat to be a big brown bat. ![]()
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