Variation in prey resources influences the diet and behaviour of predators. When prey become limiting, predators may travel farther to find preferred food or adjust to existing local resources. When predators are habitat limited, local resource abundance impacts foraging success. We analysed the diet of Myotis lucifugus (little brown bats) from Nova Scotia (eastern Canada) to the Northwest Territories (north-western Canada). This distribution includes extremes of season length and temperature and encompasses colonies on rural monoculture farms, and in urban and unmodified areas. We recognized nearly 600 distinct species of prey, of which ≈30% could be identified using reference sequence libraries. We found a higher than expected use of lepidopterans, which comprised a range of dietary richness from ≈35% early in the summer to ≈55% by late summer. Diptera were the second largest prey group consumed, representing ≈45% of dietary diversity early in the summer. We observed extreme local dietary variability and variation among seasons and years. Based on the species of insects that were consumed, we observed that two locations support prey species with extremely low pollution and acidification tolerances, suggesting that these are areas without environmental contamination. We conclude that there is significant local population variability in little brown bat diet that is likely driven by seasonal and geographical changes in insect diversity, and that this prey may be a good indicator of environment quality.

Summary The seasonal abundance of ant and termite species was compared with their occurrence in aardvark faeces on Tussen‐die‐Riviere Game Farm in the False Karoo, South Africa. Ants and termites were sampled from four vegetation communities in summer and winter using pitfall traps. Fresh aardvark faeces were collected and analysed. Of 2360 specimens collected in the traps 2172 (92%, 34 species) were ants and 188 (8%, two species) were termites. Anoplolepis custodiens accounted for 44·9% of all specimens collected. Aardvark faeces contained only thirteen species of ants and two species of termites. Of these, three hypogaeic ant species had not been found in pitfall samples probably due to their subterranean habit. In common with the traps, A. custodiens was the most dominant prey species in both seasons while ants comprised 71% of the diet and termites 21%. The remainder of the diet in each season consisted of seeds and fly puparia. Aardvark appear to feed readily on both ants and termites yet concentrate on the most abundant species available. Résumé L'abondace saisonnière d'espèces de fourmis et de termites a été comparée avec leur présence dans les excréments d'oryctéropes à la Tussen‐die‐Rivieren Game Farm, dans le False Karoo, en Afrique du Sud. Les fourmis et les termites ont été récoltés dans des pièges, dans quatre communautés végétales, en été et en hiver. On a récolté et analysé les excréments frais d'oryctéropes. Des 2360 specimens récoltés dans les pièges, 2172 (92%, 34 espèces) étaient des fourmis et 188 (8%, 2 espèces), des termites. Anoplolepis custodiens comptait pour 44,9% de tous les specimens collectés. Les excréments d'oryctéropes ne contenaient que treize espèces de fourmis et deux de termites. Parmi celles‐ci, trois espèces de fourmis souterraines n'avaient pas été trouvées dans les pièges, sans doute à cause de leur mode de vie souterrain. Comme dans les pièges, A. custodiensétait la proie principale pendant les deux saisons; les fourmis représentaient 71% du régime alimentaire, et les termites 21%. A chaque saison, le reste du régime se composait de graines et de larves d'insectes. L'oryctérope semble se nourrir aussi volontiers de fourmis que de termites et manger plutôt les espèces qui se trouvent être les plus abondantes.

Information on the roost requirements of small, temperate-zone hibernating bats, which can spend up to 8 months in hibernation, is crucial to their conservation. We studied male big brown bats (Eptesicus fuscus) in southeastern Alberta, Canada, to investigate the physical and microclimate characteristics of hibernacula used by this species in a prairie river valley (Dinosaur Provincial Park, DPP). We monitored roosting behavior and movement, and also compared microclimate conditions (temperature and humidity) within these crevice hibernacula to those of random crevices within the study area, and to conditions inside 4 known cave hibernacula in central and northern Canada. Our results show that male E. fuscus in DPP use rock-crevice hibernacula with less variable temperatures than ambient and random crevice temperatures, with evidence of winter roost fidelity within and between years. Bats used only 3 hibernacula and, although mid-winter flight is common in our study area, there was little movement by bats between hibernacula. Rock-crevice hibernacula were warmer and more thermally stable than other available crevices in DPP, and drier but not necessarily colder than known cave hibernacula elsewhere. Our study is the first to examine crevice roost selection by bats during winter, and suggests that specific hibernacula are important for individual bats, despite the fact that numerous crevices are available.

Ecological understanding of host–pathogen dynamics is the basis for managing wildlife diseases. Since 2008, federal, state, and provincial agencies and tribal and private organizations have collaborated on bat and white‐nose syndrome (WNS) surveillance and monitoring, research, and management programs. Accordingly, scientists and managers have learned a lot about the hosts, pathogen, and dynamics of WNS. However, effective mitigation measures to combat WNS remain elusive. Host–pathogen systems are complex, and identifying ecological research priorities to improve management, choosing among various actions, and deciding when to implement those actions can be challenging. Through a cross‐disciplinary approach, a group of diverse subject matter experts created an influence diagram used to identify uncertainties and prioritize research needs for WNS management. Critical knowledge gaps were identified, particularly with respect to how WNS dynamics and impacts may differ among bat species. We highlight critical uncertainties and identify targets for WNS research. This tool can be used to maximize the likelihood of achieving bat conservation goals within the context and limitations of specific real‐world scenarios.