FOOD-HABITS OF RAFINESQUES BIG-EARED BAT IN SOUTHEASTERN KENTUCKY

The diet of Rafinesque's big-eared bat (Corynorhinus rafinesquii) was determined from 94 fecal pellets and 86 culled wings of moths collecte d from four roosts and five feeding shelters in southeastern Kentucky. Seven orders of insects were consumed, with Lepidoptera occurring at > 90% volume and 100% frequency in all samples, suggesting that C. raf inesquii is a moth-specialist. Five families and seven species of moth s were identified from culled wings. The average wingspan for the spec ies of moths was 45.4 mm (SD = 8.4). This and other studies suggest th at Corynorhinus preys primarily upon moths ranging in size from 31 to 57 mm.