Species Descriptions

Jared Walker Smith - 2005 Environmental Studies Senior Seminar Research Project
St. Olaf College, Northfield, Minnesota

Introduction

Methodology

Agricultural Types

Mouse-like

Squirrels / Chipmunks

Insectivores (Shrews, Moles)

Bats

What follows are the species profiles of mammals that are found in and around agricultural fields in the Cannon River Watershed. Each species listed includes the description, the status (including range), and the natural and agricultural roles of the mammal. The most abundant mammals, or those with the greatest impacts, will also be listed in each section.

Mouse-like

Squirrels/Chipmunks

Insectivores (Shrews, Moles)

Rabbits and Hares

Bats

Bats play crucial ecosystem roles, the most prominent being as predators of insects. The residues of pesticides used on farm fields can seriously harm bat populations. Subsequently, bats greatly benefit from organic and sustainable agricultural practices (Hole et al., 2005). They are also some of the most common carriers of rabies, and the handling of them should be avoided. There are seven species of bats native to Minnesota, all of them occurring in the Cannon River Watershed Area. I, however, will only be listing the two most common bats; the big brown bat and the little brown myotis.

Big Brown Bat - Eptesicus fuscus


Big Brown Bat - Little Brown Myotis		Big Brown Bat - Little Brown Myotis

Description	The big brown bat has a total length around 115mm (103-145), with a tail around 42mm (38-47), making it Minnesota's second largest bat. Its fur is uniformly brown, and the wing and tail membranes are black.
Status	The big brown bat is the most common large bat in Minnesota, although less common than the little brown myotis. It ranges from southern Canada into Central America and the Caribbean.
Natural Role	The big brown bat primarily feeds on beetles, but will feed on other insects when abundant. They are preyed upon by snakes, raccoons, cats, and various birds of prey.
Agricultural Role	This is primarily a beneficial species to agriculture, feeding on many agricultural insect pests, including the corn root worm, "perhaps the single most important agricultural pest in the United States" (Mulheisen and Berry, 2000).

Little Brown Myotis - Myotis lucifugus


Big Brown Bat - Little Brown Myotis		Big Brown Bat - Little Brown Myotis

Description	The total length of the little brown myotis is around 91mm (83-99), with a tail around 38mm (32-48). Its fur is a coppery brown above and buffy gray below. It has a dark spot on each shoulder, and the ears are fairly short.
Status	The little brown myotis is one of Minnesota's most common bats, and it ranges throughout most of North America.
Natural Role	This bat feeds primarily on moths, although it will eat a variety of other insects.
Agricultural Role	The little brown myotis is primarily a beneficial species to agriculture, feeding on many insect species that are considered pests.

Carnivores

Minnesota Mammals occuring in the Cannon River Watershed Area

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