Acoustic Activity of Bats in Kentucky During the Total Solar Eclipse of 2017

We characterized patterns of bat activity outside primary hibernacula of Myotis bats at Mammoth Cave National Park on the days preceding, concurrent with, and following the total solar eclipse which occurred on 21 August 2017. Additionally, we documented nightly patterns of bat activity for hydric habitats and forest corridors across Kentucky during a 7-d period encompassing the eclipse. Our results suggest there was no diurnal bat activity occurring in response to the total solar eclipse, and there was no clear evidence of altered nightly activity patterns. However, these observations provide baseline data for future study of bat responses to eclipse events.