Intra-annual and interannual fidelity to summer roost areas by female eastern pipistrelles, pipistrellus subflavus

Bats in forests have strict roosting habitat requirements. The current paradigm in bat conservation has been to identify the specific characteristics of individual roost trees that are selected by bats. Although this strategy is both practical and useful, it is also important to recognize landscape level interactions between bats and their roost habitats. Few studies have documented fidelity patterns of individual bats to specific roost habitat areas both within and between years. If bats are faithful to roost areas, conservation and management practices must incorporate the identification of the minimum size of areas required by bats during the summer season. We provide evidence that female eastern pipistrelles are faithful to small roost areas both within and between years, and that juvenile females exhibit female natal philopatry.