Jacques Pierre Veilleux’s research while affiliated with Franklin Pierce University and other places

The long-term study of bat communities often depends on a diverse set of sampling methodologies that are chosen based on the species or habitat management priorities of the research project. Integrating the data from a diverse set of methodologies (such as acoustic monitoring and mist net sampling) would improve our ability to characterize changes in community structure or composition over time, such as one would expect following an emergent infectious disease such as white-nose syndrome. We developed a Bayesian state-space model to integrate these disparate data into a common currency (relative abundance). We collected both acoustic monitoring and mist net capture data over an 8-y period (2006–2014) to document shifts in the bat community in central New England, USA, in response to the onset of white-nose syndrome in 2009. The integrated data model shows a significant decline in the abundance of little brown bat Myotis lucifugus, northern long-eared bat Myotis septentrionalis, and hoary bat Lasiurus cinereus, and an increase in abundance of the eastern small-footed bat Myotis leibii and the eastern red bat Lasiurus borealis. There was no evidence for a change in abundance in the big brown bat Eptesicus fuscus since the onset of white-nose syndrome. The consistency of this model with regional estimates of decline over the same time period support the validity of our relative abundance estimate. This model provides the opportunity to quantify shifts in other communities where multiple sampling methodologies were employed, and therefore provides natural resource managers with a robust tool to integrate existing sampling data to quantify changes in community composition that can inform conservation and management recommendations.

Effects of white-nose syndrome (WNS) have mainly been assessed in bats at hibernacula, but this method may not be appropriate for species with poorly understood overwintering habits. We assessed effects of WNS on summer captures of Myotis leibii (Eastern Small-footed Bat), M. lucifugus (Little Brown Bat), M. septentrionalis (Northern Long-eared Bat), and Eptesicus fuscus (Big Brown Bat) in New Hampshire from 2005-2011. Declines in rates and probability of capture varied among species but were greatest in the Myotis. Trends generally agreed with previous studies, except that declines in captures of Eastern Small-footed Bats were disproportionately higher than expected from winter estimates. Monitoring of Eastern Small-footed Bats during the non-hibernation period likely will help to clarify the effects of WNS on this uncommon species.

Diet and feeding relations of six species of bats at five locations in New Hampshire and Massachusetts were studied to improve understanding of foraging niche differentiation. Fecal samples were collected from 100 Big Brown Bats (Eptesicus fuscus), 154 Little Brown Myotis (Myotis lucifugus), 49 Northern Myotis (M. septentrionalis), 54 Eastern Small-footed Myotis (M. leibii), 9 Eastern Red Bats (Lasiurus borealis), and 1 Hoary Bat (L. cinereus) netted during non-hibernation periods from 2004 to 2008 at four locations in southern New Hampshire and one in north-central Massachusetts. Beetles (Order Coleoptera) were the major food of E. fuscus (mean percentage volume = 81.6%, 97% occurrence) followed by moths (Order Lepidoptera), with scarabaeid and carabid beetles the most abundant consumed families by volume and frequency. Moths were the most important item by volume and frequency preyed on by the remaining species (M. lucifugus, mean percentage volume 30.7%, 82% occurrence; M. septentrionalis, mean percentage volume 42.7%, 82% occurrence; M. leibii, mean percentage volume 49.4%, 81% occurrence; L. borealis, mean percentage volume 62.8%, 100% occurrence; L. cinereus, mean percentage volume 82%, 100% occurrence). Little Brown Myotis consumed the largest variety of prey (40); Northern Myotis consumed the highest volume of spiders (8.1%). Community similarity index values indicated diets of the three species of Myotis were more similar to each other (similarity = 0.71) than to those of non-Myotis. The diet of E. fuscus was more similar to that of the Myotis cluster (0.58) than to either species of Lasiurus. Results suggest that, despite faunal differences between the U.S. Northeast and other parts of North America, foraging relationships among guild members follows a similar pattern.

Few data are available that describe the roosting and foraging ecology of the Hoary Bat (Lasiurus cinereus), and no such data are available for the northeastern United States. We captured a juvenile Hoary Bat in south-central New Hampshire during July of 2007 and monitored its roosting behavior for ten days and its foraging behavior for one night. The bat roosted with two other bats, which we presumed were its mother and sibling. These bats roosted exclusively in Tsuga canadensis (Eastern Hemlock Tree) and tended to roost near tree tops in the forest canopy. The radiotagged bat used at least six roost trees and changed roost location eight times during the ten-day observation period. Although roost-tree fidelity was low, all roost trees were located within a maximum circular area of 0.5 ha. The bat foraged over an estimated 156-ha area of mostly forest habitat (68%), with additional open habitats (15%) and wetlands (17%). These data are the first observations of roosting and foraging behaviors by the Hoary Bat in the northeastern region of its geographic range.

Bats in forests have strict roosting habitat requirements. The current paradigm in bat conservation has been to identify the specific characteristics of individual roost trees that are selected by bats. Although this strategy is both practical and useful, it is also important to recognize landscape level interactions between bats and their roost habitats. Few studies have documented fidelity patterns of individual bats to specific roost habitat areas both within and between years. If bats are faithful to roost areas, conservation and management practices must incorporate the identification of the minimum size of areas required by bats during the summer season. We provide evidence that female eastern pipistrelles are faithful to small roost areas both within and between years, and that juvenile females exhibit female natal philopatry.

Published information about the diet of eastern small-footed bats (Myotis leibii) does not exist. Feces of 39 M. leibii captured from May through Sep. in southern New Hampshire contained eight orders of insects, spiders (Araneae), unidentified arthropods and vegetation. Moths (Lepidoptera), true flies (Diptera) and beetles (Coleoptera) composed most of the diet. Diet of adult males contained significantly fewer beetles than that of juveniles, but diet was similar between other demographic groups and across seasons. Presence of spiders and crickets (Gryllidae) in the diet suggested M. leibii captured some prey via gleaning.

Published data that describe the distribution and reproductive patterns of bats in New Hampshire are sparse. We examined the distribution and reproductive phenology of bats within Pisgah State Park (the largest state park in New Hampshire) located in the southwestern region of the state. A total of 159 bats was captured during 31 net nights at 29 net sites during the summers of 2004 and 2005. In order of decreasing abundance, the most common species were Myotis lucifugus (little brown myotis), Eptesicus fuscus (big brown bat), and M. septentrionalis (northern myotis). Additionally, a single Lasiurus borealis (eastern red bat) was captured. Approximately equal numbers of adult male and female little brown myotis and northern myotis were observed, while sex ratios of big brown bats were female biased. Pregnant females of each species were observed between mid-May and early June, and parturition occurred during mid- to late June. Captures of juvenile little brown myotis indicate that weaning begins during early July (juveniles of other species were not captured).

A study of the hibernating bats present in select western Massachusetts hibernacula was initiated during the winter of 2005–2006. During the surveys, five state-threatened Myotis leibii (eastern small-footed bats) were observed within one hibernaculum (Bat's Den Cave). These five individuals were the first eastern small-footed bats observed in Massachusetts since 1999, and represent a new county distribution record (Berkshire County).