Philopatry and migration of banded Indiana bats (Myotis sodalis) and effects of radio transmitters

Abstract

We banded 29 adult females, 2 juveniles, and 1 adult male from a maternity colony of Indiana bats (Myotis sodalis) during 1995-1998. Four banded bats were later found hibernating in caves that were separated by ≤325 km, indicating that all members of a summer colony do not hibernate or mate in the same location. We recaptured 41% of adult females (12 bats) near the initial banding site in later years, and because of this strong interannual fidelity, we recommend that resource managers reevaluate policies that allow removal of roost trees during winter. Eleven of these 12 females were radiotracked initially, but all were reproductively active and had normal body masses in subsequent years, suggesting negligible, long-term effects of the radiotracking process.