Winter Range of the Red Bat, Lasiurus borealis

Abstract

Eight specimens of the red bat, Lasiurus borealis, recently collected in West Virginia, Indiana, Illinois, and Missouri during the months of November through February point out the necessity of revising our present concept of the winter range of this species. The winter range of the red bat is generally thought to be from southern United States south to Bermuda and Mexico. For example, Griffin (Bul. Mus. Comp. Zool., 86: 238, 1940) says that it flies south to the southern states where insect food is available throughout the year. Evidence that we have now accumulated shows that it is not uncommon for red bats to winter in regions where freezing weather is frequently encountered. McKeever (a survey of west Virginia mammals, 1951) records two specimens from Pocohontas County, West Virginia, taken at elevations of 2400 and 2500 feet on January 4, 1950. He notes that several others were seen in...