Open AccessForaging and diet of the northern bat Eptesicus nilssoni in Sweden
Author(s) -
Rydell Jens
Publication year - 1986
Publication title -
ecography
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 2.973
H-Index - 128
eISSN - 1600-0587
pISSN - 0906-7590
DOI - 10.1111/j.1600-0587.1986.tb01219.x
Subject(s) - foraging , woodland , ecology , habitat , predation , range (aeronautics) , biology , eptesicus fuscus , composite material , materials science
Northern bats foraged predominantly in small individual and transient feeding sites usually in open places near trees and over water. Lakes were preferred as foraging habitat as compared to woodlands and farmlands. The pattern of habitat selection did not change drastically during the period of reproduction. The diet was probably unselective, consisting mainly of small dipterans and moths and also caddis flies, lacewings and mayflies (lake area) and dung beetles (farmland). Northern bats consumed insects of 3–30 mm body length, thus taking prey items of a broader size range than other bat species studied.