The bats of Wyoming

Product Type: Book, Pages in

Year: 2000

Author(s): Bogan, M.A., and P.M. Cryan

Pages: 71-94

Suggested Citation: Bogan, M.A., and P.M. Cryan. 2000. The bats of Wyoming. In: J.R. Choate (ed.). Reflections of a naturalist: papers honoring Professor Eugene D. Fleharty. Fort Hays Studies, Special Issue 1. Hays, KS: Fort Hays State University. p. 71-94.

Abstract

We examined 1280 bats of 12 species submitted to the Wyoming State Veterinary Laboratory (WSVL) for rabies testing between 1981 and 1992. The most abundant species in the sample was Myotis lucifugus, followed by Eptesicus fuscus, Lasionycteris noctivagans, M. ciliolabrum, and M. volans. Using the WSVL sample and additional museum specimens, we summarized available records and knowledge for 17 species of bats in Wyoming. Records of the WSVL show that, between 1981 and 1992, 113 bats actually tested positive for rabies. We examined 45 of those rabies positive bats, E. fuscus had the highest incidences (60%) in the sample, followed by L. noctivagans (11%) and L. cinereus (9%).