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Terry Lobdell
Member
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Posted: Fri May 25th, 2007 01:20 am |
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Here is a question:
If you have a certain number of mothers in a maternity colony can you assume a near equal number of bachelors in the area?
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LarryH
Member
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Posted: Fri May 25th, 2007 03:33 am |
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That's an interest question. I don't have a definitive answer, but I wonder if there would be any relationship since they mate in the fall and not the spring?
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Joe Spencer
Administrator
| Joined: | Mon Feb 11th, 2002 |
| Location: | Massachusetts USA |
| Posts: | 509 |
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Offline
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Posted: Fri May 25th, 2007 08:49 pm |
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This doesn't answer the question, but it does provide some insight:
Breeding: There are two phases, an active phase in which males and females are alert and a passive phase in which males mate with torpid females. Breeding of both sexes is promiscuous.
BIG BROWN:
Reproduction and Care of Young
Big brown bats are polygamous. This means that males mate with a large number of females and have no role in the rearing of young. Breeding takes place during the late summer and early fall during a behavioral phenomenon known as “swarming.” At this time, large numbers of bats visit and congregate in a succession of caves just prior to hibernation. Although sperm is transferred to the female during copulation that occurs in the fall, ovulation and fertilization of the egg are delayed until the females arouse from hibernation the following spring.
During the summer, females form maternity colonies, mostly in man-made structures, especially barns. At this time, big brown bats avoid some of the higher roost temperatures tolerated by little brown bats, and will abandon any area that gets above 95º F.
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Terry Lobdell
Member
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Posted: Sat May 26th, 2007 01:40 am |
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| Thanks Joe, It appears that I don't have as many males as females........tonight I got an accurate count on my big brown maternity colony.......16 bats.........I've had around that number the past 3 years.........As far as can observe I only have around 5 big brown bachelors. But maybe they roost in other areas........
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