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LukeM wrote:Brian, maybe "suspected" isn't the best way to get the message across, but I would argue that the separate labels are not that hard to understand.
Since there might be a chance that a bat can carry Gd but not progress to full-on WNS symptoms isn't it useful to differentiate the two? Maybe the particular cave conditions aren't very conducive to growth of the fungus, or the species or population in question has a higher resistance to the fungus. Why wouldn't you want to have that info available? In a way it's similar to how we label HIV and AIDS differently.
PYoungbaer wrote:Brian,
The silence on WNS reports is most likely due to the fact that the Northeast Bat Working Group, the Midwest Bat Working Group, the Southern Bat Diversity Network, and the USFWS bat folks had a meeting in Louisville, Kentucky this past week, so virtually none of the state and federal agency folks were in their home offices. I expect reports will resume shortly.
wyandottecaver wrote:This might be slightly off topic but illustrates some reporting issues.
Went "fun" caving on private property this weekend in two small "newbie" caves with a buddy and his 4 yr old. closely examined bats in the longer cave and saw nothing. Just popped into the 2nd cave located about 5 min walk away (whole cave less than 500ft) quickly took a few pictures of kid caving and left.
Subsequently discovered another caver had been to the two caves very recently and took a picture of a "WNS BAT" in the shorter cave. He noted that of several bats he looked at in that cave, only 1 was suspicious. He reported the bat to the DNR. He sent me the picture, and my completely unofficial opinion is it is a "classic" WNS photo showing the white muzzle.
However, A DNR guy has to make time to go there, hopefully find this bat (if it hasn't left/died), hopefully has appropriate permits to sample it, send it off, and wait for results. And all this based on good evidence starting off. Plus it's not like the other things they did day-day before WNS have gone away.
In this case the county already is "suspected" and both caves together probably hold less than 15 bats of a common species. I rather suspect it won't be followed up on since we essentially know the county has WNS (although this is a 20 min drive from the other sites). I'm actually surprised it was even reported.
dfcaver wrote:I now think that we've always had a slower progression than we thought, due to WNS having about a three or four year incubation period. As we've looked harder, we seen it earlier in that infection curve. We're updating the map with first year infections at this time. Early on, some locations probably weren't noticed until year two or three after the initial infection. WNS probably was endemic throughout NY state as early as 2005 or maybe even 2004. The massive death rates definitely seem to be spreading at about the rate you'd expect for the bats to be transferred it to each other without a human assist needed. High fatality rates seem to now be spreading from Pennsylvania into West Virginia, as the time since the initial infection grows longer. Of course, the incubation time gives the bats lots of opportunity infect additional colonies.
Spike wrote: Our bats roost in caves later and emerge earlier. Personally I've observed Gray Bats showing up at Summer Roosts as early as March 15th. Secondly, they had hard data showing bats emerging in the middle of winter on warm days. It's not uncommon to get a couple near 60 degree days in the Ozarks in December through Feburary, moths and other insects do come out on these days and the bats know it and will feed. I even wacked a honker of a moth last week with the Jeep. Maybe bats in the more southern states have an edge over New England bats.
BrianC wrote:Very logical! I still believe that Kentucky should have some sightings. It would be great if the temperate zones in the south would barrier the survival by allowing shorter hibernating, and earlier food supply for foraging bats.
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