Acoustic lure - social calls

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mandalocascio

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Apr 1, 2019, 7:53:11 PM4/1/19
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Hello,

I'm chasing bats in open woodland/heath in western Victoria, collecting genetic information as part of my Ph.D. looking into functional connectivity. 

They are currently outsmarting me and trap success isn't great. I've borrowed an L400 (exciting) but am having trouble collecting social calls.

Anyone have any that they don't mind sharing? I'd be eternally grateful..... my study sites are near wineries, I could barter with wine? 

Thanks, Amanda 

Michael Pennay

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Apr 1, 2019, 7:56:09 PM4/1/19
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Hi Amanda, just as a side note. Have you considered mist netting at water points? It's often a much more effective way of catching bats in arid/semiarid open landscapes.
Cheers Michael


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mandalocascio

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Apr 1, 2019, 8:19:57 PM4/1/19
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Hello, thanks for responding. 

I don't have one but will buy one for next year like this - https://en.ecotone.com.pl/produkty/-siec-ultra-cienka-biala-m-20w-18.html ?

Trip lining? 

Thanks, Amanda 



On Tuesday, April 2, 2019 at 10:56:09 AM UTC+11, Vulturnus wrote:
Hi Amanda, just as a side note. Have you considered mist netting at water points? It's often a much more effective way of catching bats in arid/semiarid open landscapes.
Cheers Michael


On Tue., 2 Apr. 2019, 10:53 am mandalocascio, <mandal...@gmail.com> wrote:
Hello,

I'm chasing bats in open woodland/heath in western Victoria, collecting genetic information as part of my Ph.D. looking into functional connectivity. 

They are currently outsmarting me and trap success isn't great. I've borrowed an L400 (exciting) but am having trouble collecting social calls.

Anyone have any that they don't mind sharing? I'd be eternally grateful..... my study sites are near wineries, I could barter with wine? 

Thanks, Amanda 

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Michael Pennay

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Apr 1, 2019, 9:15:35 PM4/1/19
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Triplining is not so good in my experience. 
Mist netting by water -especially isolated water- can capture a LOT of bats. 
If you mist net I recommend getting a few so you can set them up in "formation"  settings with corners work better eg 3 nets in a 'Y' or two in a 'V'for example than just a single net. Monofilament nets are best, a range of lengths is good, but the shorter ones are really only useful in rainforests and small spaces, you probably want the longer ones. 
I can give you some tips on how to set up on a swing system so you don't get wet if you'd like.
Cheers Michael

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mandalocascio

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Apr 1, 2019, 9:52:16 PM4/1/19
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Would love any tips please... and thanks.... do you need my email? 

I'm here now, at field sites, and my detectors are telling me there are bats flying around my traps (arghghg).

so I'll make up some distress calls for L400 - I have some hand released annoyed bats, and can make up a social call lure if anyone has any wavs to share. 

I'll try triplining cause I don't have nets and I have plenty of fishing line, and pray/chant/think positive thoughts.

I'll purchase nets for next season it's getting a bit late now, I think? 

Thanks Michael, Amanda 

Michael Pennay

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Apr 1, 2019, 10:10:55 PM4/1/19
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It's worth a try. It's not too late if you can hear and see bats. If you're lucky all those clutzy inexperienced youngsters are flying around and you might have a better chance of catching them than the wizened older bats. 
If you can find any trees near water, or approaches to water its worth putting traps under them. If there is no water (or heaps of it) you could also look for vegetation where it forms 'passages' between open foraging areas.. 

If you email me at vespa...@gmail.com I'll send you some more information about netting over water. 
Cheers
Michael

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Erin Westerhuis

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Apr 8, 2019, 9:18:18 PM4/8/19
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I definitely agree with trap placement near water, though I use harp traps not mist nets. Upped my average number of bats per harp trap night from 2 - more than 30. Be aware if you mist net near water it can soon become overwhelming for a few people, especially if you're inexperienced with getting the bats out quickly (like I was). 

Sounds like a very interesting project by the way. Good luck
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Michael Pennay

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Apr 9, 2019, 10:03:56 PM4/9/19
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Sounds like a good placer to try nets. If there are any trees even single isolated trees you can put a trap under it helps.
Traps our on their own don't seem to work even with a lure I'd be surprised.
I'll send you some diagrams of how to set up nets so you don't have to get wet.

On Wed., 10 Apr. 2019, 9:46 am mandalocascio, <mandal...@gmail.com> wrote:
Thanks. the issue I am having with harp traps near water particularly, is that the environment/vegetation is so open. the bats could literally fly in from any direction. I recently read an article - r.e. calls for lures it looks like feeding buzzes are good too (makes sense) https://besjournals.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/1365-2656.12989 

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Michael Pennay

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Apr 9, 2019, 10:20:42 PM4/9/19
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Amanda to set nets up over water so you don't have to get wet, I use a version of the swinging nets Terry Reardon taught me. It works really well. 
Basically you need pole holders you can hammer into the ground. Terry has special custom made ones but I just use 45cm star pickets with black poly pipe lengths wired into them. 

The aim is you put your net up over the water, with 2 pole holders, but one end of the net can swing. When you set up the net, pick the swinging end and walk the pole and net taut until it's accessible from the bank. Then you hammer another extra pole holder in there. Then whenever you get a bat in the net you can grab that end swing the whole net up onto dry land secure it in the pole holder and extract the bat/s. And swing it back over the water to reset... Make sense?

Works even better with two nets both swinging.
I've attached some dodgy sketches which I hope help explain rather than confuse.
Cheers
Michael
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