TEXAS TECH UNIVERSITY

Natural Science Research Laboratory

Occasional Papers

Museum of Texas Tech University

Number 347 6 July 2017

Distributional and Reproductive Records or Bats from South-central

Nebraska

Owen J. Johnson and Keith Geluso

Abstract

Bats are facing unprecedented population declines across North America. Onset and con¬
tinued westward movement of white-nose syndrome (WNS) has caused large-scale mortality in
cave-dwelling, hibernating eastern species of bats, whereas numerous migratory bat species are
affected by wind-energy facilities across the continent. To date, limited natural history data are
available for bats from south-central Nebraska, an area of the state not yet impacted by WNS
or wind-energy facilities. Herein, we report on geographic and reproductive records of bats
from the region to better understand them and to serve as a baseline on species occurrences and
their natural history. We documented 22 county records of seven species from 12 total counties,
including expansion of distributional limits for the Northern Long-eared Myotis (. Myotis septen-
trionalis ), Evening Bat ( Nycticeius humeralis), and American Perimyotis ( Perimyotis subflavus)
in the state. Fifteen reproductive records were documented from four species in nine counties,
including the earliest volant young for Eastern Red Bats ( Lasiurus borealis) and latest date of
pregnancy for Evening Bats in Nebraska. Understanding the natural history and distribution of
bats in the region will help to make informed management decisions in the future.

Key words: American Perimyotis, distribution, Evening Bat, Myotis septentrionalis,
Nebraska, Northern Long-eared Myotis, Nycticeius humeralis , Perimyotis subflavus , range
expansion, reproduction

Introduction

Bats are facing unprecedented population de¬
clines in North America for both hibernating and
migratory species (Cryan and Barclay 2009; Frick
et al. 2010; Grodski et al. 2012). With the continued
western movement of white-nose syndrome (WNS)
in the United States (Lorch et al. 2016), additional
hibernating bat populations may be negatively affected
by this fungus. For migratory species, bat mortalities

have been reported as “high” at wind-energy facilities
(Arnett et al. 2008; Cryan and Barclay 2009; Grodski
et al. 2012). Understanding the distribution and natu¬
ral history of bats in specific areas is important before
they potentially are impacted by such threats. This
knowledge should guide decisions regarding placement
of wind farms in the future. Unfortunately for many
hibernating and migratory species, basic information

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Occasional Papers, Museum of Texas Tech University

is lacking on their distribution and natural history. For
example, the Northern Long-eared Myotis ( Myotis
septentrionalis) recently was listed as threatened under
the Endangered Species Act (USFWS 2015); however,
almost nothing is known on distances moved between
summer habitats to winter hibernacula or vice versa
throughout its entire distribution in the United States
(Geluso et al. 2015). Moreover, less information is
known concerning western bats species in the United
States compared to those species in the eastern United
States.

The first comprehensive account on the distribu¬
tions of bats in Nebraska was written by Jones (1964),
who described twelve species. Since Jones’ (1964)
treatise, numerous studies have described geographic
localities of bats and reproductive attributes from
around the state (e.g., Kunz 1965; Czaplewski 1979;
Benedict et al. 2000; Benedict 2004; Geluso et al.

2004a, b; Geluso 2006; Geluso et al. 2008; Serbousek
and Geluso 2009; Geluso et al. 2013; Geluso and Ge¬
luso 2016; Stein and White 2016; White et al. 2016).
Studies also suggest that some species have expanded
distributional limits in response to habitat changes in
the state (Benedict et al. 2000; Serbousek and Geluso
2009).

To date, limited information is known regarding
bats in south-central Nebraska. Herein we report on
a number of distributional and reproductive records
from the region. Understanding the natural history of
bats is important to further conserve these mammals,
as the area has not yet been impacted by white-nose
syndrome or wind-energy facilities. The region is bio-
geographically important as it lies at the distributional
limits for a number of species in Nebraska (Czaplewski
et al. 1979; Benedict 2004), including the federally
threatened Northern Long-eared Myotis.

Methods

From 2006 to 2016, we attempted to capture bats
with mist nets on 29 occasions in eight counties (i.e.,
Buffalo, Dawson, Hall, Hamilton, Harlan, Howard,
Kearney, and Webster) in south-central Nebraska. Bats
were captured under bridges and in buildings as well
as along rivers, streams, ponds, and sloughs (Figs. 1
and 2). All sites were in or adjacent to forested habitats
composed primarily of Eastern Cottonwoods ( Populus
deltoides ), Eastern Redcedars ( Juniperus virginiana),
and Russian Olives ( Elaeagnus angustifolia). Survey
sites often had agricultural fields or grasslands within
a short distance.

Mist nets (Avinet, Inc., Dry den, NY) were set up
prior to dusk and monitored for a few hours until bat
activity declined. Time of capture, species, sex, age, re¬
productive condition, forearm length, and body weight
were recorded for most bats. Determination of age was
based on presence of cartilage in digits at ephiphyses
of wing bones (Anthony 1988). If cartilage was not
observed it was considered an adult, although some
bats captured in August and in later months certainly
were young-of-the-year with completely ossified wing
bones. Bats were released at the site of capture except
for a few individuals that were prepared as voucher
specimens and deposited into natural history collections

at the University of Nebraska State Museum (UNSM),
University of Nebraska at Lincoln, or at the Museum
of Southwestern Biology, Albuquerque, New Mexico.
Coordinates of localities were determined with hand¬
held global positioning units using NAD 27 or NAD
83. Occasionally, localities were obtained via Google
Earth using WGS 84.

Additional bats were either donated to us by oth¬
ers or opportunistically observed roosting on a building
(i.e., Dawson and Buffalo counties). We also observed
bats on three occasions in the Happy Jack Chalk Mine
in Greeley County. We only report the number of Big
Brown Bats (Eptesicus fuscus ) in this study because
the American Perimyotis ( Perimyotis subflavus ) was
the focus of a prior study (Damm and Geluso 2008).

We also queried the University of Nebraska
State Museum and University of Nebraska at Kearney
(UNK) for specimens from 16 counties (i.e., Adams,
Buffalo, Custer, Dawson, Franklin, Furnas, Gosper,
Greeley, Hall, Harlan, Howard, Kearney, Phelps, Sher¬
man, Valley, and Webster) from the region. Previously
unpublished records from UNSM and UNK (although
collected by other individuals) are included below.

Johnson and Geluso—Bat Records from South-central Nebraska

3

Figure 1. Netting site at the Blue Hole State Wildlife Management Area (3.7 km S, 1.5 km
W Elm Creek; 40.68462°N, 99.39291 °W), Buffalo County, Nebraska. Photograph was
taken 21 May 2017, although bats were captured at this site on 19 June 2013. Pooled water
represents a small side channel of the Platte River, which was located about 50 m to the
south of the netting site. We captured Evening Bats {Nycticeius humeralis) and one Hoary
Bat ( Lasiurus cinereus ) at this site. Photograph by Keith Geluso.

Figure 2. Netting site along Prairie Dog Creek (9 km S Alma, 40.01548°N, 99.36324°W),
Harlan County, Nebraska. Photograph was taken 21 May 2017, although two Northern
Long-eared Myotis ( Myotis septentrionalis) were captured at this same site on 5 September
2014. Other species captured at the site included the Evening Bat {Nycticeius humeralis)
and Big Brown Bat ( Eptesicus fuscus). Photograph by Keith Geluso.

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Occasional Papers, Museum of Texas Tech University

We follow Bradley et al. (2014) for the order of
species as well as the common and scientific names in
the accounts of species, below. Both geographic and
reproductive records for each species are presented
in alphabetical order by county within each account.
For distributional maps, we plotted our new records
as solid symbols, and previously published localities
of occurrences were plotted as open symbols from the
following publications: Jones 1964; Czaplewski et al.
1979; Benedict et al. 2000; Benedict 2004; Geluso et al.
2004a, b; Geluso 2006; Geluso et al. 2008; Serbousek

and Geluso 2009; Geluso et al. 2013; Geluso and
Geluso 2016; Stein and White 2016; and White et al.
2016. We did not include localities on distribution maps
where only acoustic data were reported (i.e., White et
al. 2016). Following Benedict (2004), reproductive
records include data from pregnant females, lactat-
ing females, and volant young with cartilage in digits
of wing bones. Museum numbers from the Division
of Zoology at UNSM are given for those retained as
voucher specimens. Some details of habitat for our
capture sites are provided in accounts.

Results and Discussion

From August 2006 to October 2016, we conduct¬
ed 29 nights of netting and captured 113 bats in south-
central Nebraska. We documented another seven in¬
dividuals from opportunistic observations or donations
from others. Data received from UNSM accounted for
an additional 27 specimens, 15 of which represented
distributional or reproductive records. Only individuals
representing new geographic, reproductive, or seasonal
records are described below in the accounts of species.
We report on 22 county records of seven species from a
total of 12 counties, including the expansion of known
distributional limits for the Northern Long-eared Bat,
Evening Bat (Nycticeius humeralis), and American
Perimyotis in the state. Fifteen reproductive records
also were documented from four species in nine coun¬
ties, including the earliest volant young for the Eastern
Red Bat (Lasiurus borealis ) and the latest date of preg¬
nancy for the Evening Bat in the state.

ORDER CHIROPTERA
Family Vespertilionidae
Eptesicus fuscus (Palisot de Beauvois, 1796)

Big Brown Bat

The Big Brown Bat occurs statewide across
Nebraska, but distributional records are absent from
many counties (Jones 1964; Benedict 2004). Female
Big Brown Bats likely bear and raise young in every
county, as the species commonly inhabits human-made
structures (Czaplewski et al. 1979). However, evidence
of reproduction for Big Brown Bats is lacking from
most counties in Nebraska (Benedict 2004). Most prior
reproductive records are reported from eastern (Geluso
et al. 2004; Benedict 2004), northern (Czaplewski et al.

1979; Benedict 2004), western (Czaplewski et al. 1979;
Geluso et al. 2013; Benedict 2004), and southwestern
(Serbousek and Geluso 2009) counties, but none previ¬
ously was reported from south-central Nebraska (Bene¬
dict 2004). Six new distributional county records and
three new reproductive records are described below.

Geographic records .—New geographic distribu¬
tional records are presented for six counties (i.e., Daw¬
son, Franklin, Greeley, Hall, Howard, and Kearney) in
south-central Nebraska (Fig. 3). Such records fill in
gaps in the known distribution of E. fuscus , although
the species is known from a number of nearby counties
(Benedict 2004). In Dawson County, two males were
collected from the city of Gothenburg, one in 1988
and one on 5 March 2001 (UNSM ZM# 30398 and
ZM# 30417, respectively). In Franklin County, one
adult male was collected on 6 July 2004 along Turkey
Creek (1.6 km N, 0.2 km E Naponee; UNSM ZM#
29233). In Greeley County, Big Brown Bats previously
were not documented in the Happy Jack Chalk Mine
in 2002 (Benedict 2004) nor in 2005 or 2006 (Damm
and Geluso 2008). On 8 March 2009, 18 October
2012 (UNSM ZM# 30977), and 25 April 2013, single
individuals were observed hibernating in the mine
(2.8 km S, 0.4 km W Scotia; 41.4415°N, 98.7080°W,
WGS 84). Openings at the two entrances of the mine
formerly were solid wood except for a narrow crack
along the top of both doors where bats could access
passageways in 2005 and 2006. From at least 2009
to 2016, wooden doors were replaced with open metal
gates, yielding cooler temperatures and increased air
currents between openings. The area between the open¬
ings corresponds to the location where all Big Brown

Johnson and Geluso—Bat Records from South-central Nebraska

5

Figure 3. New distributional and reproductive records of the Big Brown Bat (Eptesicus fuscus ) in Nebraska.
Open symbols represent previously published records, and closed symbols represent new records presented in
this paper. Circles represent geographic records, and triangles represent reproductive records (i.e., pregnant
females, lactating females, and volant young with cartilaginous epiphyseal plates in wing bones). Some closed
triangles also indicate new geographical county records. Shaded area represents the known distribution of the
species in Nebraska.

Bats have been observed thus far in the mine. In Hall
County, 12 pregnant females were captured at the Crane
Trust either in a building (n = 7; near Headquarters;
40.7885°N, 98.4646°W, WGS 84) or along a perennial
slough along the Platte River (n = 5; 2.2 km N, 8.1 km
W Doniphan; 40.79129°N, 98.46539°W, NAD 83),
two on 3 June 2011, nine on 13 June 2013, and one on

14 June 2013 (UNSM ZM# 30981, from the slough).
In Howard County, one individual was captured on 17
August 2006 along Oak Creek near Dannebrog under a
roadway bridge on Nebraska Highway 11 (Oak Creek;
41.1130°N, 98.5523°W,NAD 83; individual released).
In Kearney County, an adult male was captured on

15 July 2013 over a small pond within 100 m of the
main channel of the Platte River (19.7 km N, 3.7 km
E Axtell; 40.65655°N, 99.08383°W, NAD 83; UNSM
ZM# 30989). The area contained numerous Eastern
Cottonwoods and Eastern Redcedars.

Reproductive records .—Three new reproductive
records are presented from Buffalo, Hall, and Harlan
counties (Fig. 3). In Buffalo County, a lactating female
was captured on 19 June 2013 from the Blue Hole
State Wildlife Management Area over a small pond

surrounded by primarily Eastern Cottonwoods (3.8 km
S, 1.0 km W Elm Creek; 40.68408°N, 99.38763°W,
NAD 83; UNSM ZM# 30984). In Hall County, 12
pregnant females were captured from two localities at
the Crane Trust in the flood plain of the Platte River
on 3 June 2011, 13 June 2013, and 14 June 2013. Five
individuals were captured along a small perennial
slough surrounded by deciduous trees near the Platte
River, and seven were captured from a large building
that regularly contained small groups of night-roosting
individuals (details of localities are given above). The
one pregnant female kept as a voucher specimen on 13
June contained two fetuses with crown-rump lengths of
25 and 23 mm (UNSM ZM# 30981). In Harlan County,
a volant young male was captured 7 July 2004 (3.5 km
S, 1.3 km E Republican City; UNSM ZM# 29239).

All reproductive records are within the known
dates of reproduction in the state for Big Brown Bats,
including pregnant females (4 May-14 July; Geluso
et al. 2004a and Czaplewski et al. 1979, respectively),
lactating females (31 May-5 September; Geluso et al.
2004a and Jones 1964, respectively), and volant young
(6 July-21 September; Geluso et al. 2004a). Our ob-

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Occasional Papers, Museum of Texas Tech University

servation of E. fuscus with two pups in south-central
Nebraska best matches more eastern populations (E.f
fuscus) in the state, as the northern part of our study
area is within a broad zone of intergration between the
two subspecies and the southern part of our study area
appears dominated by the eastern subspecies (Hoffman
and Genoways 2008).

Lasionycteris noctivagans (Le Conte, 1831)
Silver-haired Bat

Silver-haired Bats once were considered only a
migratory species in Nebraska, occurring seasonally
in both spring and autumn (Czaplewski et al. 1979).
More recently, however, reproduction by females in
summer has been shown in several localities in extreme
eastern and western parts of the state (Benedict 2004;
Geluso et al. 2004a,b; Geluso et al. 2013). Throughout
central parts of Nebraska, relatively few records of this
species exist in the literature (Benedict 2004; Geluso
2006). Herein we report on two new county records
from Buffalo and Sherman counties (Fig. 4).

Geographic records. —In Buffalo County, we
captured an adult male with subcutaneous fat de¬
posits roosting on the outside of a brick building at

the University of Nebraska at Kearney (UNK) on 24
October 2016 (Bruner Hall of Science; 40.6999°N,
99.09513°W, NAD 83; UNSM ZM# 31036). On 23
September 1992, another individual was collected by
others from the city of Kearney (17 Camelot Way,
UNK# 4055). In Sherman County, a female was col¬
lected by others on 23 September 1994 from 8.0 km
N, 3.2 km E Litchfield (UNSM ZM# 26056). These
late seasonal captures suggest individuals were mi¬
grating. Wind-energy facilities are known in central
parts of Nebraska by Ainsworth in Brown County and
Broken Bow in Custer County, as well as to the south
in central Kansas. Further information is warranted to
better understand the numbers and timing of migration
by L. noctivagans using the central fly way, as future
wind-energy facilities are planned in the Great Plains.
Another explanation for such occurrences is that they
represent individuals preparing to hibernate in the
region. To date, there is no conclusive observation of
a Silver-haired Bat hibernating in the state, but there
have been two late captures indicating that individuals
might overwinter in Nebraska (Benedict 2004; Geluso
et al. 2004b; Geluso et al. 2013). Silver-haired Bats are
known to hibernate at latitudes of Nebraska and farther
north (Jones et al. 1983).

Figure 4. New distributional records of the Silver-haired Bat {Lasionycteris noctivagans ) in Nebraska. Open
symbols represent previously published records, and closed symbols represent new records presented in this
paper. Circles represent geographic records, and triangles represent reproductive records (i.e., pregnant females,
lactating females, and volant young with cartilaginous epiphyseal plates in wing bones). Shaded area represents
the known distribution of the species in Nebraska.

Johnson and Geluso—Bat Records from South-central Nebraska

7

The female from Sherman County, described
above, originally was reported as a juvenile on the
specimen tag; however, one of us (KG) further exam¬
ined this museum specimen. Based on the shape of the
wing bones at the joints, the individual is best referred
to as an adult, albeit it might represent a young with
ossified epiphyses.

Lasiurus borealis (Muller, 1776)

Eastern Red Bat

The Eastern Red Bat occurs statewide but is more
common in eastern Nebraska (Czaplewski et al. 1979).
Recent studies suggest that L. borealis has increased
in abundance in western parts of the state, although
these individuals mainly are migratory (Geluso et al.
2013; Geluso et al. 2015; Geluso and Geluso 2016).
Numerous counties in the state lack records of this
migratory, tree-roosting species (Benedict 2004). Fe¬
males are reported to give birth and raise young across
the state (Benedict 2004); however, recent surveys
failed to document reproductive females in extreme
western Nebraska (Geluso et al. 2013; Geluso and

Geluso 2016). Older records demonstrate that some
females occasionally bear young in western Nebraska,
as a female and four young were reported from Morrill
County (Benedict et al. 2000) and a lactating female is
known from Sioux County (Czaplewski et al. 1979).
Reproductive evidence is lacking in many counties,
and most reproductive records are from the northern,
eastern, and south-central parts of the state (Benedict
2004). Herein we report on five new geographic county
records and six new reproductive records.

Geographic records .—-New geographic distri¬
butional records are presented for five counties (i.e.,
Dawson, Franklin, Kearney, Hall, and Webster) in
south-central Nebraska (Fig. 5). Such records fill in
gaps in the known distribution of L. borealis , although
a number of nearby counties have records of occur¬
rence (Czaplewski et al. 1979; Benedict 2004). In
Dawson County, three Eastern Red Bats were reported
from the city of Gothenburg, one adult female in 1988
(unspecified date; UNSM ZM# 30397), one juvenile
female on 14 July 2013 (UNSMZM# 30995), and one
juvenile male (unspecified date; UNSM ZM# 30996).

Fig. 5. New distributional and reproductive records of the Eastern Red Bat (Lasiurus borealis) in Nebraska.
Open symbols represent previously published records, and closed symbols represent new records presented in
this paper. Circles represent geographic records, and triangles represent reproductive records (i.e., pregnant
females, lactating females, and volant young with cartilaginous epiphyseal plates in wing bones). Some closed
triangles also indicate new geographical county records. Benedict (2004) reported a record in Kearney County.
We were unable to locate the publication or specimen of this record, thus we consider our capture to represent
the first observation for the county. Shaded area represents the known distribution of the species in Nebraska.

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Occasional Papers, Museum of Texas Tech University

In Franklin County, a lactating female was reported
on 6 July 2004 along Turkey Creek (1.6 km N, 0.2 km
E Naponee; UNSM ZM# 29234). In Hall County, we
captured one lactating female on 11 July 2009 (2.3
km N, 7.8 km W Doniphan, 40.7922°N, 98.4623°W,
NAD 83; UNSM ZM# 30979) along a perennial slough
surrounded by many deciduous trees dominated by
Eastern Cottonwoods in the flood plain of the Platte
River. In Kearney County, a volant young female was
captured on 17 July 2013 over a small pond near the
Platte River surrounded by a mature forest of Eastern
Cottonwoods and Eastern Redcedars (19.7 km N, 3.7
km E Axtell; 40.65655°N, 99.08383°W, NAD 83;
UNSM ZM# 30997). In Webster County, one lactat¬
ing female was captured and released on 26 June 2007
over the Republican River (Indian Creek State Wildlife
Management Area, 40.0616°N, 98.5198°W, NAD 83)
and five volant young females and one volant young
male (UNSM ZM# 31035; 4 July) were captured on
4 and 5 July 2015 along Elm Creek (Elm Creek State
Wildlife Management Area, 3.3 km N, 6.3 km E Red
Cloud; 40.11818°N, 98.44521°W, NAD 83). Both
areas in Webster County contained deciduous forests
along waterways.

Reproductive records .—New reproductive
records are presented for Dawson, Franklin, Hall,
Harlan, Kearney, and Webster counties (Fig. 5). In
Dawson County, two juveniles were collected from the
city of Gothenburg (see details above). It is unknown
whether individuals were volant, but we suspect at least
one, if not both, could not fly based on small forearm
lengths (38 and 36 mm; UNSM ZM# 30995, 30996;
respectively). In Franklin County, a lactating female
was captured along Turkey Creek in 2004 (see details
above). In Hall County, a lactating female was captured
in 2009 (see details above). In Harlan County, two
volant young males were captured on 7 July 2004 (3.5
km S, 1.3 km E Republican City, and 2.9 km S, 3.2 km
W Republican City; UNSM ZM# 29240 and 29242,
respectively). In Kearney County, a volant young
female was captured near the Platte River in 2013 (see
details above). In Webster County, a lactating female
and six volant young were captured in 2007 and 2015
(see details above).

Dates of lactation reported herein fall within
the known dates previously reported in the state for
Eastern Red Bats (30 May-27 July; Benedict 2004).

The three volant young L. borealis captured on 4 July
represent the earliest known capture of a volant young
in Nebraska. The previous earliest record for a volant
young in the state was 13 July (Benedict 2004).

Lasiurus cinereus (Palisot de Beauvois, 1796)
Hoary Bat

The Hoary Bat is a migratory, tree-roosting spe¬
cies that occurs across Nebraska (Czaplewski et al.
1979; Benedict 2004). Geographic and reproductive
records have not been documented from many coun¬
ties in the state (Czaplewski et al. 1979; Benedict
2004). Reproductive data are on record mainly from
edges of the state (Benedict 2004; Geluso et al. 2004a;
Serbousek and Geluso 2009; Geluso et al. 2013), with
only a few reproductive records from interior portions
of the state (Benedict 2004; Geluso 2006). We pres¬
ent a single geographic and reproductive record for an
interior county in the state (Fig. 6).

Geographic record .—In Hamilton County, a
volant young male was captured on 9 July 2008 under
the canopy of large Eastern Cottonwood trees adjacent
to the Platte River (5.6 km W, 1.6 km N Marquette;
41.01798°N, 98.07577°W, NAD 83; UNSM ZM#
29922).

Reproductive record .—The aforementioned vo¬
lant young also represents a new reproductive record
for Hamilton County. This date falls within the known
dates of volant young in Nebraska (late June-14 Au¬
gust; Czaplewski et al. 1979 and Geluso et al. 2013,
respectively).

Myotis septentrionalis (Trouessart, 1897)
Northern Long-eared Myotis

The Northern Long-eared Myotis has a distri¬
bution that encompasses parts of extreme northern,
eastern, and southern Nebraska (Benedict 2004; Geluso
et al. 2015; White et al. 2016). Understanding the
distribution of this species is important, as the species
recently was listed as threatened under the Endangered
Species Act due to large-scale mortalities associated
with WNS in the eastern United States (USFWS 2015).
Two county records are presented herein that expand
its known distribution in southern Nebraska (Fig. 7).

Johnson and Geluso—Bat Records from South-central Nebraska

9

Figure 6. A new distributional and reproductive record of the Hoary Bat (Lasiurus cinereus) in Nebraska. Open
symbols represent previously published records, and the closed symbol represents new records presented in
this paper. Circles represent geographic records, and triangles represent reproductive records (i.e., pregnant
females, lactating females, and volant young with cartilaginous epiphyseal plates in wing bones). The closed
triangle also indicates a new geographical county record. Shaded area represents the known distribution of the
species in Nebraska.

Figure 7. New distributional records of the Northern Long-eared Myotis (Myotis septentrionalis) in Nebraska.
Open symbols represent previously published records, excluding acoustic data, and closed symbols represent
new records presented in this paper. Circles represent geographic records, and triangles represent reproductive
records (i.e., pregnant females, lactating females, and volantyoung with cartilaginous epiphyseal plates in wing
bones). White et al. (2016) reported published or museum records from Gage and Johnson counties; however,
there are no published records or specimens from those counties (C. A. Lemen, in litt.). Shaded area represents
the known distribution of the species in Nebraska.

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Occasional Papers, Museum of Texas Tech University

Geographic records .—New geographic records
are presented from two counties (i.e., Franklin and
Harlan), with capture sites along small tributaries of the
Republican River in southern Nebraska. In Franklin
county, a male with testes measuring 3.5 mm in length
was collected on 6 July 2004 along Turkey Creek (1.6
km N, 0.2 km E Naponee, 40.08927°N, 99.13918°W;
UNSM ZM# 28915). In Harlan County, we captured
three individuals. Two females were captured along
Prairie Dog Creek on 5 September 2014 (9 km S Alma,
40.01548°N, 99.36324°W, NAD 83; UNSM ZM#
30990, 30991). One individual was an adult (UNSM
ZM# 30990) based on brown coloration of fur, heavier
weight (9.5 g), and presence of subcutaneous fat stores
whereas the other female (UNSM ZM# 30991) likely
was a young with ossified wing bones based on its gray
fur coloration, light weight (6 g), and lack of subcutane¬
ous fat. Additionally, an adult male was captured on 9
September 2016 under a cement I-beam bridge span¬
ning Prairie Dog Creek along US Hwy 183 (9.4 km S,
0.5 km W Alma; 40.01336°N, 99.36723°W, WGS 84,
individual released). The individual was captured in a
mist net at night near the northern abutment.

Captures of Northern Long-eared Myotis in these
counties likely represent a recent westward expansion
of the species along the Republican River, as the site in
Harlan County has been netted every other year since
2006 but only documented in 2014 and 2016 (Geluso
et al. 2008). Acoustic data further support the occur¬
rence of M. septentrionalis in Harlan County in summer
(White et al. 2016). Continued surveys should monitor
this species, as it might continue to expand westward
along the Republican River, especially because bedrock
reaches the ground surface farther west along the river
potentially providing suitable hibernacula (Lemen et
al. 2016). The Northern Long-eared Myotis also has
expanded its distribution in the Pine Ridge and along
the Niobrara River in northern Nebraska in recent times
(Benedict et al. 2000; Geluso et al. 2015) as well as
in Kansas since the 1960s (Sparks et al. 2011). Re¬
search is warranted to attempt to learn as much about
this species in the state regarding where it occurs and
reproduces, as well as routes and distances traveled
between winter and summer roosts. It is possible that
the species occurs in other wooded regions of the state.
In Arkansas and Louisiana, for example, populations
have been discovered beyond former historical records
in the region (Crnkovic 2003; Sasse et al. 2014).

Nycticeius humeralis (Rafinesque, 1818)
Evening Bat

The Evening Bat originally was documented only
in southeastern Nebraska (Jones 1964; Czaplewski
et al. 1979). Recent records from northeastern and
southwestern Nebraska demonstrate that the species
has expanded its distribution in the state (Benedict
2004; Serbousek and Geluso 2009). With recent range
expansions across the Great Plains in Kansas (Phelps et
al. 2008; Sparks et al. 2011), Nebraska (Benedict 2004;
Serbousek and Geluso 2009), South Dakota (Lane et al.
2003), and Texas (Ammerman et al. 2012), distribution
of this species needs to be monitored as it likely will
continue to expand its distribution. Five county records
and five reproductive records are presented below.

Geographic records .—New geographic records
are presented from Buffalo, Franklin, Furnas, Hall, and
Kearney counties (Fig. 8). In Buffalo County, Evening
Bats were captured at two sites in the flood plain of the
Platte River, at the Crane Trust and Blue Hole State
Wildlife Management Area. One pregnant female was
captured on 7 June 2013 (UNSM ZM# 30978) and a
lactating female and volant young male were captured
on 15 July 2013 (Crane Trust, Dipple Property, 4.3 km
S, 4.5 km E Gibbon; 40.70806°N, 98.79181°W, NAD
83; UNSMZM# 30985,30986). At the Blue Hole State
Wildlife Management Area, six lactating females were
captured on 19 June 2013 (five individuals at 3.7 km S,
1.5 km WElm Creek; 40.68462°N, 99.39291°W, NAD
83; UNSM ZM# 30983; and one individual at 3.8 km
S, 1.0 km W Elm Creek; 40.68408°N, 99.38763°W,
NAD 83). Habitat at capture sites in Buffalo County
consisted of open pools of water on side channels or
sloughs of the Platte River bordered by deciduous for¬
ests. In Franklin County, two lactating females were
captured on 6 July 2004 along Turkey Creek (1.6 kmN,
0.2 km E of Naponee; UNSM ZM# 28914,29232). In
Furnas County, one lactating female was captured on 8
July 2004 along Medicine Creek (1.0 km E Cambridge;
UNSM ZM# 28923). In Hall County, one pregnant
female was captured on 13 July 2013 along a perennial
slough bordered by deciduous trees (Crane Trust, 2.2
kmN, 8.1 km WDoniphan; 40.79129°N, 98.46539°W,
NAD 83; UNSM ZM# 30980). In Kearney County,
four individuals were captured over a small pond near
the Platte River surrounded by a forest dominated by
Eastern Redcedars and Eastern Cottonwoods. Two

Johnson and Geluso—Bat Records from South-central Nebraska

11

Figure 8. New distributional and reproductive records of the Evening Bat (Nycticeius humeralis) in Nebraska.
Open symbols represent previously published records, and closed symbols represent new records presented
in this paper. Circles represent geographic records, and triangles represent reproductive records (i.e., pregnant
females, lactating females, and volant young with cartilaginous epiphyseal plates in wing bones). All closed
triangles also indicate new geographical county records. Shaded area represents the known distribution of the
species in Nebraska.

adult females were captured on 15 July 2013 (UNSM
ZM# 30988, 30999) and one volant young of unknown
sex and one volant male (UNSM ZM# 30998) were
captured on 17 July 2013 (19.7 kmN, 3.7 kmE Axtell,
40.65655°N, 99.08383°W, NAD 83).

Evening Bats along the Platte River in Buffalo
and Hall counties potentially represent a westward and
northward expansion of the species in south-central
Nebraska. We failed to capture the species along the
Platte River in 2006 in Buffalo County and specimens
of other species were previously known from along the
Platte River (Czaplewski et al. 1979), lending some
support that the species was not present in the area in
the past. The closest records of N. humeralis from the
Blue Hole State Wildlife Management Area in Buffalo
County are from 109 km to the east at Bader Park,
Merrick County, along the Platte River (Benedict et al.
2000) and from 75 km to the south at Prairie Dog Creek,
Harlan County, along the Republican River (Geluso et
al. 2008). It is unclear whether the source for this range
expansion is from populations farther east along the
Platte River or to the south from the Republican River.
In the future, we suspect this species will expand into

additional wooded habitats farther west along the Platte
River and into other river systems to the north, such
as the Loup rivers and Dismal River in more central
parts of the state.

Reproductive records .—Reproductive records
are reported from five counties (i.e., Buffalo, Franklin,
Furnas, Hall, and Kearney; Fig. 8), the same counties
as geographic records, hence additional details of
localities of occurrences and habitats are listed above.
Reproductive records from Buffalo County include a
pregnant female with two fetuses (largest crown-rump
length was 15 mm) captured on 7 June 2013 (UNSM
ZM# 30978), six lactating females captured on 19 June
2013 (UNSM ZM# 30983), and one lactating female
and one volant young male captured on 15 July 2013
(UNSMZM# 30985,30986; respectively). In Franklin
County, two lactating females were captured on 6 July
2004 (UNSM ZM# 28914, 29232). In Furnas County,
one lactating female was captured on 8 July 2004
(UNSM ZM# 28923). In Hall County, one pregnant
female with three fetuses (20, 18, and 18 mm crown-
rump lengths) was captured on 13 June 2013 (UNSM
ZM# 30980). In Kearney County, two post-lactating

12

Occasional Papers, Museum of Texas Tech University

females were captured on 15 July 2013 (UNSM ZM#
30988,30999) and two volant young were captured on
17 July 2013 (UNSM ZM# 30998).

Previous dates of pregnant Evening Bats in the
state ranged from 10 May-1 June (Geluso et al. 2004a
and Czaplewski et al. 1979, respectively). The pregnant
female captured in Hall County on 13 June represents
the latest date of pregnancy for N. humeralis in the state.
Dates of lactation reported herein fall within the known
dates previously reported for Evening Bats (15 June-24
July; Serbousek and Geluso 2009 and Kunz 1965,
respectively). Volant young with cartilage are known
from 23 June-7 September in Nebraska (Serbousek and
Geluso 2009 and Benedict 2004, respectively), and our
dates of capture for volant young fall within this range.

Perimyotis subflavus (F. Cuvier 1832)
American Perimyotis

The American Perimyotis, formerly called the
Eastern Pipistrelle or Tricolored Bat (Pipistrellus sub¬

flavus), was known originally from extreme eastern
parts of the state in Cass and Sarpy counties (Jones
1964; Czaplewski et al. 1979). Benedict (2004) docu¬
mented a few scattered records in central and northern
Nebraska, with reproductive individuals recorded along
the northern border of the state. A recent acoustical
study suggested that P. subflavus also occurs in other
scattered localities in eastern Nebraska and along the
Republican River in forested areas (White et al. 2016).
Geluso et al. (2005) proposed the distribution for this
species spans across Nebraska and the central Great
Plains states, as individuals now have been observed in
southwestern South Dakota, eastern Wyoming, north-
central Colorado, and eastern New Mexico. Herein, we
report on a single geographic record in the state (Fig. 9).

Geographic records. —In Buffalo County, soli¬
tary females were collected on 23 August 2002 and 1
September 2002 from buildings in the city of Kearney
(UNSM ZM# 28248 and 28249, respectively), indicat¬
ing the species also occasionally uses above-ground
human-made structures in the state. These records ex-

Figure 9. A new distributional record of the American Perimyotis (Perimyotis subflavus) in Nebraska. Open
symbols represent previously published records, excluding acoustic data, and the closed symbol represents a
new record presented in this paper. Circles represent geographic records, and triangles represent reproductive
records (i.e., pregnant females, lactating females, and volant young with cartilaginous epiphyseal plates in wing
bones). The entire state is shaded indicating that the species occurs throughout Nebraska, although records
are absent from western parts of the state. However, distributional records for this species are known from
eastern Wyoming, northeastern Colorado, and southwestern South Dakota (Geluso et al. 2005). White et al.
(2016) reported a published or museum record from Lancaster County; however, there is no published record
or voucher specimen from that county (C. A. Lemen, in litt ). Shaded area represents the known distribution
of the species in Nebraska.

Johnson and Geluso—Bat Records from South-central Nebraska

13

tend the known distribution in the state westward along
the Platte River. These two specimens recently were
mentioned in White et al. (2016) but without specific
locality data. Researchers have reported that P. sub-
flavus is difficult to capture in eastern Nebraska via the
traditional deployment of mist nets, whereas acoustic

recording devices demonstrate that the species might
be abundant in areas with no or few captures (White et
al. 2016). Thus, the American Perimyotis likely occurs
in other areas of the state farther west along wooded
streams and rivers containing nearby rocky outcrops or
human-made structures suitable for hibernation.

Acknowledgments

We thank Tom E. Labedz for museum matters
associated with this research at the University of Ne¬
braska State Museum. We thank Brett R. Andersen,
Jason P. Damm, Patricia W. Freeman, Cliff A. Lemen,
and students in Mammalogy classes at the University of
Nebraska at Kearney (UNK) for assistance in the field.
We thank a private land owner (Rita Johnson), Crane
Trust (Felipe Chavez-Ramirez and Mary J. Harner),
Nebraska Game and Parks Commission (Mike Fritz
and regional conservation officers), U.S. Army Corps
of Engineers at Harlan County Reservoir (Thomas
Zikmund), Happy Jack Chalk Mine Association (Betty
Carlson), and Central Nebraska Public Power & Ir¬
rigation District (Mark Peyton) for access to lands.

We thank Richard W. Manning and an anonymous
reviewer for helpful suggestions on an earlier version
of this manuscript. We thank Angie Fox and Kenneth
N. Geluso for assistance with distributional maps. This
research was approved by the Institutional Animal
Care and Use Committee at UNK, and research was
conducted under the scientific and educational permit
provided by the Nebraska Game and Parks Commission
issued to Keith Geluso. This manuscript originally was
written by the senior author as part of the requirements
for the research component of the Online Master’s De¬
gree Program in Biology at the University of Nebraska
at Kearney.

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Addresses of authors:

Owen J. Johnson

Department of Biology
University of Nebraska at Kearney
Kearney, NE 68849 USA

Keith Geluso

Department of Biology
University of Nebraska at Kearney
Kearney, NE 68849 USA
gelusokl @unk. edu

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