© Merlin D. Tuttle, BCI

Lasiurus ega  southern yellow bat (Vespertilionidae)  Lasiurus ega  southern yellow bat  Family Name: Vespertilionidae  Genus: Lasiurus  Species Name: ega  Pronunciation: lay-zee-your-us ee-ga  Common Name: southern yellow bat

Like other members of the genus Lasiurus, southern yellow bats are associated with trees which can provide them with daytime roosting sites. These bats feed on insects which they probably capture in flight. Bats observed in the Mexican state of San Luis Potosi started foraging about dusk. Nets stretched over ponds at which bats came to drink did not catch any L. ega until about 2 hours after darkness. Stomachs of those captured at that time were crammed with insect remains. The breeding season is in late winter.

Approximate Range

To learn more, read about this bat in our BATS magazine archive:

Bats in Palms: Precarious Habitat
Where the Bats Are Part I: Plants and Trees
The Thrill of Discovery