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Accidental Bat Species in Florida

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​What are accidental species?  Species of bats that have been found in Florida on rare occasion, but are not permanently or seasonally living in Florida are referred to as accidental species.  There are currently seven species of bats classified as accidental in Florida.  In all cases only one or two specimens have ever been recorded.  
Northern Accidentals:  Species that have arrived in Florida from the north are referred to as northern accidentals. Three species of bats fit this category.  All three are of the family of bats called the Vespertilionidae.  Of these the Indiana myotis and Northern long-eared bat have not been found in Florida in over fifty years.  The few specimens found in north Florida in the 1950's may have been left from an earlier population that no longer exists in Florida. 
Indiana myotis (Myotis sodalis)                                        Insectivorous
Northern long-eared myotis (Myotis septentrionalis)    Insectivorous
Silver-haired bat (Lasionycteris noctivagans)               Insectivorous
Southern Accidentals:  Species that have arrived in Florida from the south are referred to as southern accidentals. Four species of bats fit this category.  All are of the family Phyllostomidae.  In each case only one or two specimens have been recorded.  To date, these species have only been found in the Florida Keys and south Miami.
Buffy flower bat (Erophylla sezekorni)                            Frugivorous/Nectarivorous
Cuban flower bat (Phyllonycteris poeyi)                        Frugivorous/Nectarivorous
Jamaican fruit-eating bat (Artibeus jamaicensis)         Frugivorous
Cuban fig-eating bat (Phyllops falcatus)                       Frugivorous
 
Copyright Florida Bat Conservancy 2005
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  • Home
  • News
  • Bat Facts
  • Bats of Florida
    • Big brown bat
    • Seminole bat
    • Tricolored bat
    • Evening bat
    • Gray myotis
    • Northern yellow bat
    • Velvety free-tailed bat >
      • Eastern red bat
    • Brazilian free-tailed bat
    • Florida bonneted bat
    • Hoary bat
    • Southeastern myotis
    • Accidental species
  • Rafinesque's big-eared bat
  • Bat Habitat
  • Bat Houses
  • Bats in Buildings
  • Library
    • Echolocation
    • Excluding bats from buildings >
      • Book
    • Backyard Bat Houses
    • Community Bat Houses >
      • University of Florida
      • Hickory Mound
      • Phipps Water Mgmt. Area
      • Culvert Bat House
      • Tallahassee
      • Florida A&M University
      • Lower Suwannee River
      • Spirit of the Suwannee
    • The University of Florida Bat House
    • Don't plug that hole!
    • Bats found on the ground
  • Links
  • Volunteer
  • Contact Us
  • About Us
  • Bat Rescue
  • Florida Wildlife Commission Regional Offices
  • Bat House Builders
  • Bat Programs