Food habits of the endangered Virginia big-eared bat (Plecotus townsendii virginianus) were determined by analyzing guano and culled parts of insects collected in 1988 and 1989 from three maternity caves in eastern West Virginia. Food availability was evaluated by lighttrapping at forest edge and forest interior sites in the vicinity of the caves. Lepidoptera was the most important insect order in the diet, followed by Coleoptera, Diptera, and Hymenoptera. Significant differences among bats from the different caves were observed in the percentage volume and frequency of Lepidoptera, Coleoptera, Diptera, and Hymenoptera. Bats selectively consumed Lepidoptera and avoided Coleoptera. Volume and frequency of Lepidoptera, Hymenoptera, and Coleoptera in the diet were positively related to their abundance in the forest interior. Patterns of consumption of Diptera paralleled abundance at the forest edge. Lepidoptera wings accounted for 90% of culled insect parts, 70% of which were from larvae that developed in forests.
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Sample et al. (1993) studied this question.