A North Temperate Bat Community: Structure and Prey Populations

Food habits and food partitioning were investigated in a North Temperate insectivorous bat community. Analysis of fecal pellets showed that all species of bats utilized moths and most species utilized beetles. There appears to be differential utilization of these two prey items. Six species of bats are moth strategists and four species are beetle strategists. In one species, Eptesicus fuscus, changes in food selection is correlated with changes in food abundance. Food habits are discussed in relation to various parameters of the prey populations, i.e., abundance, activity, and length class diversity. Habitat partitioning is discussed in relation to type of flight and type of sonar.