Observations of the echolocation, feeding behaviour, and habitat use of Euderma maculatum (Chiroptera: Vespertilionidae) in southcentral British Columbia

A record of the spotted bat, Euderma maculatum, from Oliver, British Columbia, is the first for Canada, extending its known range approximately 900 km. The specimen was obtained from a well-established breeding population in this area and does not represent an accidental or stray record. Observations of the foraging bahaviour of E. maculatum suggest that it may change its strategy from a rapid traplining approach in the spring, to spending more time per feeding site later in the summer, always foraging in ponderosa pine montane woodland. In the study area, E. maculatum appeared to roost in areas with high steep cliffs. The echolocation calls of this species are of low frequency (fundamental from 15 to 8 kHz) and moderate intensity (80–90 dB). Our observations and the theoretical implications of its echolocation call structure suggest that E. maculatum is a fast-flying, high-level forager that may include a high proportion of tympanate moths in its diet.