Bat Houses by
Chiroptera Cabin Company
Cabins and Condos for Chiroptera Cuties

Survey Team 2

This evening’s bat survey was conducted at Sandbar Wildlife Management Area in South Hero, Vermont .  Teams of willing volunteers gather before sunset with the researchers from the Vermont Fish and Wildlife Department.  The researchers explain to the group what they are hoping to accomplish and what will take place during the evening’s survey.  Along with a survey the volunteers assisted with a bat count as bats exited a barn and a number of bat houses.  The bat count gives researchers an idea about how many bats might be living in the structures that belong to part of the park.

Three (3) mist nets were set up across dirt roads in a forested area of the park.  This area was selected because of its location between a known large colony of bats and a large source of fresh water. 

A mist net is made of very fine netting, almost like a hair net.  While foraging, that bats fly into the net and get tangled.  Don’t worry the mist net is quite flexible so the bats are not injured when they fly into it.  Researchers carefully untangle the bats, collect some data, and then release them back into the wild.

During the bat survey at Sandbar Wildlife Management Area about 20 bats were caught in 30 minutes.  These bats were studied, banded, and released.

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