Tricolored Bat (Perimyotis subflavus)

Florida’s smallest bat, it generally weighs between 4 and 8 grams. The tricolored bat, formerly the Eastern pipistrelle (Pipistrellus subflavus), can be identified from other bats in Florida by its pink forearms that strongly contrast their black wings. Tricolored bats roost solitarily in caves during the winter, where they enter torpor, a physiological state where the bat slows its metabolism and suppresses its immune system to conserve energy. During the summer, tricolored bats will form small maternity colonies in tree foliage and palm fronds, though maternity colonies may form in man-made structures such as sheds and barns. In Florida, female tricolored bats give birth to 2 pups in May or June.

Roost Preference: Roosts singly or in small groups – Roosts in caves, tree foliage, tree cavities, and occasionally buildings and other man-made structures

Diet: Insectivorous – Feeds on smaller insects such as mosquitoes, flying ants, leafhoppers, and small beetles