Starting in 2003, we will be conducting inventories to find out what species of bats live on the lands of Ball Mountain Lake. We will be using mist nets to catch as many bats as we can. Data collected from each bat captured in the nets will include species, sex, reproductive status, forearm length, and weight. We also will note the time the bat was caught and the height in the net at which the bat was caught.

Before each bat is released, a tiny, metal band is attached to its forearm -- on the right for males and on the left for females. Each band is numbered, and the bat can be identified by that number if it is ever recaptured.

Bats caught during the first netting session were lttle brown bats, big brown bats, and northern long-eared bats. Check back through the summer for some photos of our bats. We will be posting photos of some of the resident bats that we capture, measure, and release.

The photo to the right shows one of the triple-high nets set up over a stream. The nets are checked every 15 minutes from sunset until about 2:00 in the morning. When a bat is caught, it is gently removed from the tanglement of the net and placed into a holding bag until the data is collected on it.

In late July, we started the second round of netting for bats. Stay tuned for more updates on our bats.

For more information on the natural resources of Ball Mountain Lake, send an e-mail to the wildlife biologist for this area. Ask a question, or tell us what species you saw while visiting these lands.