Scientific Name: Tadarida brasiliensis

Classification: Mammal, Order Chiroptera

Conservation Status:

• Occurs only incidentally in Virginia.

Habitat: In the south, this species is found roosting in buildings, bridges, schools, and other man-made structures, but in the west it is associated with caves where it forms huge colonies.

Diet: Free-tailed bats feed on winged ants, wasps, beetles, midges, and small moths.

Distribution: This is a bat of the extreme south and western states with the range extending into Central and South America. Until recently, there were two records for this species in Virginia. Two individuals were netted at a site in the mountains of Virginia west of Blacksburg. A single individual was identified from a specimen submitted to the Health Department from southeast Virginia. In July 2014, a pup was rescued from an apartment complex in Charlottesville and sent to a wildlife rehabilitator. The presence of a maternity colony this far north suggests the species may be expanding its range.