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Seasonal Shifts in Roosting Strategies of Male Seminole Bats in Coastal South Carolina

Lydia H. Moore1,*, Samuel J. Holst2, Kyle E. Shute3, and Jason B. Robinson4

1,2Palmetto Bluff Conservancy, 15 Village Park Square, Bluffton, SC 29910. 3Southern Appalachian Highlands Conservancy, 372 Merrimon Avenue, Asheville, NC 28801. 4Lotus Enterprises, LLC, PO Box 2376, Lexington, KY 40523. *Corresponding author.

Journal of North American Bat Research, Volume 2 (2024): 1–20

Abstract
Foliage-roosting bats are more exposed to environmental conditions than species roosting under exfoliating bark, in tree cavities, or in caves. To test whether foliage-roosting species alter roosting behavior in response to seasonally changing environmental conditions, we examined roosts of Lasiurus seminolus (Seminole Bat) during fall and summer in Beaufort County, South Carolina. We radio-tracked 13 adult males to 64 roosts. Most bats in both seasons roosted in pines that were taller and with greater diameter than surrounding trees. Fall roosts were generally on the south side of dominant trees and in mixed hardwood-pine forests. Summer roosts were primarily in codominant trees in plots composed of pines. Roost selection in both seasons was made at multiple scales, depending on availability of resources. Quantifying variation in roost characteristics between seasons provides a more comprehensive understanding of habitat requirements and aids in more thorough land management.

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