Gray Bat - Foraging Activity

Foraging Activity

Gray bats forage over water, including streams and reservoirs, where they consume night-flying insects most of which have aquatic larval stages. and in the riparian forests nearby these water sources. M. grisescens activity tends to be concentrated over slower moving water or quiet pools than areas of fast moving water. Foraging usually occurs below treetop height but above 2m. Gray bats tend to fly downstream more often than upstream, suggesting a potential preference for wider sections typical of downstream sections as opposed to upstream portions (with a tendency to be narrower). M. grisescens tend to forage over extensive ranges, averaging 12.5 km but ranging from 2.5 km to 35.4 km. While gray bats have been shown to forage in small groups when prey is abundant, especially during the early hours of the night, when prey is scarce, gray bats can become territorial. Territories tend to be controlled by reproductive females. These females seem to claim the same territory year after year.