Iowa Creatures of the Night #3-Big Brown Bat Mystery Cache
a1bob66: This series of caches is too far gone to repair so I will plan a revival. Time for a new start on this trail.
Thanks for the fun.
Iowa Creatures of the Night #3-Big Brown Bat
-
Difficulty:
-
-
Terrain:
-
Size: 
(small)
Please note Use of geocaching.com services is subject to the terms and conditions
in our disclaimer.
Night Cache
As you walk the trail in the twilight hours you might see a swooping figure in the sky. Don't be alarmed, although it is feeding time for the Big Brown Bat, you are not on the menu. Be sure to follow the night cache directions below to have a successful cache experience.
Iowa Creatures of the Night Series
#3 Big Brown Bat
The big brown bat is not only the most widely distributed species in Iowa, but also roosts in the greatest variety of places, both natural and human-made. It is this species that most commonly associates with humans in Iowa. In the summer, females establish maternity colonies of 50 to 1,000+ in both artificial and natural sites, such as buildings, bridges, road culverts, storm sewers, mines, caves, tree cavities and loose tree bark. Adult males and non-reproductive females roost singly or in small groups in similar places, but usually away from nurseries. They often have alternate day and night roosts.
In summer, big brown bats emerge shortly after dusk to search for food. They feed primarily on beetles and moths, but also capture such insects such as flying ants, flies, mosquitoes, stonefiles, mayflies, grasshoppers and crickets. In towns, these bats fly over clearings, among scattered trees and around street or house lights that attract insects. Big brown bats often feed on agricultural pests, including cucumber beetles (whose larvae are com rootworms), June beetles, green and brown stink bugs, and leafhoppers (Whitaker 1993).
In winter, both sexes hibernate throughout the state in habitats similar to those used in summer. Most utilize the caves and mines of eastern Iowa, sometimes forming hibernating clusters of several hundred, e.g., Maquoketa Caves State Park. In caves and mines, individuals or small clusters may be near hibernating little brown and northern myotis and eastern pipistrelles. A few big brown bats hibernate in buildings and are the only bats to regularly do so in Iowa.
The big brown bat is a hardy species and is active both in late fall and early spring, as well as on some warm days in winter. In hibernation, the body temperature may be only slightly above freezing, enabling this species to be in attics or more exposed parts of caves of mines. If air temperature of these roost sites drops below freezing, however, the bats will arouse and move to warmer locations. This is the reason that a big brown bat may appear in the living area of a house during very cold weather in mid-winter.
The big brown bat is perhaps the only species of bat in Iowa that appears to have no problem surviving in the near future. While some colonies have been "controlled," many have survived human harassment and extermination attempts. Big brown bats are easily attracted to well-placed and properly constructed bat houses (Tuttle and Hensley 1993). .
http://www.birdsofiowa.com/bats/eptesicus%20fuscus.htm
http://www.birdsofiowa.com/bats/eptesicus%20fuscus.htm
FUN AND INTERESTING FACTS ABOUT BIG BROWN BATS
■Big Brown Bats use their wings to catch insects.
■Big brown Bats are capable of swimming.
■Big Brown Bats are counted to be among the fastest of all bats. They can reach up to a speed of 40 miles per hour during flight.
■The males of this species tend to outlive the females.
■They use echolocation to detect objects while on flight.
■They can adapt themselves easily to varying types of habitats. Due to this, their numbers have grown consistently throughout the years.
Night Cache Instructions
#3-Big Brown Bat-All markers and the container are on the Right(North) side of the trail.
1) The posted coordinates are the starting location.
2) The start location will be marked with two(2) reflective markers.
Start=2
3) The trail will be marked with one reflective marker.
Trail=1
4) The final location will be marked with three(3) reflective markers.
Final=3
5) From the start location, use your flashlight to locate the start markers(2). Look down the trail with your flashlight for the next marker(1). Follow the trail of markers until you find the final markers(3). Find the container and sign the log.
6) The coordinates for the final location is posted in the waypoints to aid navigation and direction.
Night Cache Notes
1) This cache is recommended to be found in the dark.
2) You should pack good flashlights with extra batteries.
3) Safety First. Always bring a friend on a night cache.
4) Give yourself plenty of time and be aware of the trail use times.
5) The markers for this cache are all on the same side of the trail.
6) This cache is on public use property and all rules and laws are to be followed.
7) Cache at your own risk.
8) The final coordinates are listed in the waypoints to allow daytime discovery of this cache.
Please remember that all caches in the Jackson County Conservation Areas are CITO locations.
Member
Additional Hints
(Decrypt)
Unir sha.