Biology of Big Brown Bat: Appearance, biology, life cycle, habitat, diet, behavior

The big brown bat measures about 4-5 inches in length, and has a wingspan that is about three times that. The females are slightly larger than the males, giving them a slight advantage in terms of speed and power over their male counterparts. These animals have very sharp teeth and their bite is especially powerful. This allows them to chew through such insects as beetles, which have a fairly strong ex0skeleton.



Unlike the little brown bat, there is actually a range of colors that the big brown bat can have. They can range from a very dark brown, all the way through light brown onto a reddish look. The belly of the bat is always a lighter color than the fur, and the face, tail, ears, and wings are usually black.

The big brown bat is different than the little one in that, while both live in North America, the big version is found in much greater volume in warmer areas. The smaller one is found in hotter climates, but is most often found in the northern United States and in Canada. Meanwhile the big version is found in large numbers in Mexico, and is also found in Cuba, Jamaica, the Dominican Republic, Haiti, and Puerto Rico. They have also been found in many of the mountains of the Andes in South America.

These bats can be found in virtually any setting. In rural areas they thrive, but they also do this in urban and suburban regions as well. They will live in human dwellings, like an attic, barn, stadium, church or tunnel. They will also be found in trees and caves. They will live along rivers, in densely forested areas, in an open field or along the streets of a town. These are one of the most highly adaptable forms of bat for sure.

The average span of a little brown bat is about seven years. The big version can live nearly three times as long as that, reaching an average life span of 19 years. Some live into their late 20s. Big brown bats are also insectivores, eating such bugs as beetles, wasps, moths, and flies. These animals will only eat during warm weather months when insects are readily available to them. They do not like to eat when it is cold but, oddly enough, will also not eat during heavy rains or when the temperature drops. The time that they like to look for food begins just after sunset and they digest their food while they are hanging upside down.

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