Little Brown Bat: a two-minute wildlife lesson

Creatures of the Night · day 1 of 7

Five facts

1. A little brown bat is tiny: it weighs just 5.5 to 12.5 g, with a body 8 to 9.5 cm long.
2. A mother eats about 61% of her weight in insects each night while pregnant, nearly 85% while nursing, and up to 125% at the nursing peak.
3. In the wild, little brown bats can live up to 34 years, but the average lifespan is about 6.5 years.
4. To hibernate, females fly up to hundreds of kilometres from their summer homes to reach caves or old mines.
5. For hibernating, they prefer caves where the air is over 90% humid and the temperature stays above freezing.

The quiz

1. How much does a little brown bat weigh?

• About 1 kg
• 0.5 to 1 g
• 5.5 to 12.5 g (correct)
• 55 to 125 g

It weighs only 5.5 to 12.5 g.

2. What share of her body weight does a nursing mother eat at the peak?

• 125% (correct)
• 25%
• 61%
• 85%

At the lactation peak a female can eat 125% of her body weight.

3. What is the average lifespan of a little brown bat?

• About 34 years
• About 6.5 years (correct)
• About 2 years
• About 100 years

The average is about 6.5 years, though some live up to 34.

4. Where do little brown bats spend the winter?

• In caves or old mines (correct)
• In birds' nests
• Under the sea ice
• In sand dunes

They hibernate in caves or old mines, and females may travel hundreds of kilometres to reach them.

5. What kind of cave do little brown bats prefer for hibernating?

• Very humid and above freezing (correct)
• Dry and below freezing
• Hot and dry
• Bright and sunny

They prefer humidity above 90% and temperatures above freezing.

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