We examined habitat use and foraging activity of the endangered Hawaiian hoary bat (Lasiurus cinereus semotus), as well as nocturnal aerial insect abundance at Kaloko-Honōkohau National Historical Park located in the coastal region of Kailua-Kona, Hawai‘i Island. The study area covers approximately 486 ha of marine waters and terrestrial coastal plains. Nocturnal aerial insect collection occurred in January and April (2 or 3 nights each) and in July and November (1 or 2 nights each) in 2014. Insects were collected at three stations (KAHO1, KAHO3, KAHO4) between 1 and 10 m above sea level. Nocturnal aerial insects were collected using a 22 W UV light placed above a funnel and bucket trap (Model #2851M, Bioquip Products Inc., Rancho Dominguez, CA) and powered by a 12 V marine deep cycle battery. Insect traps were placed near (~10 m) KAHO1 and KAHO3 (wooded shorelines) and KAHO4 (xeric, vegetated lava field). Timers turned the lights on at approximately one hour before local sunset and off at approximately one hour after local sunrise. Insects were removed from the traps at approximately 00:00 and 06:00, and preserved in ethyl alcohol (EtOH). Insect samples were counted and identified to taxonomic order under a dissecting microscope (Leica MS5, Leica Microsystems Inc., Wetzlar, DE). Samples were dried in a drying oven for approximately 48 hours at 65 C and weighed on an analytical scale.

We examined habitat use and foraging activity of the endangered Hawaiian hoary bat (Lasiurus cinereus semotus), as well as nocturnal aerial insect abundance at Kaloko-Honōkohau National Historical Park located in the coastal region of Kailua-Kona, Hawai‘i Island. The study area covers approximately 486 ha of marine waters and terrestrial coastal plains. Nocturnal aerial insect collection occurred in January and April (2 or 3 nights each) and in July and November (1 or 2 nights each) in 2014. Insects were collected at three stations (KAHO1, KAHO3, KAHO4) between 1 and 10 m above sea level. Nocturnal aerial insects were collected using a 22 W UV light placed above a funnel and bucket trap (Model #2851M, Bioquip Products Inc., Rancho Dominguez, CA) and powered by a 12 V marine deep cycle battery. Insect traps were placed near (~10 m) KAHO1 and KAHO3 (wooded shorelines) and KAHO4 (xeric, vegetated lava field). Timers turned the lights on at approximately one hour before local sunset and off at approximately one hour after local sunrise. Insects were removed from the traps at approximately 00:00 and 06:00, and preserved in ethyl alcohol (EtOH). Insect samples were counted and identified to taxonomic order under a dissecting microscope (Leica MS5, Leica Microsystems Inc., Wetzlar, DE). Samples were dried in a drying oven for approximately 48 hours at 65 C and weighed on an analytical scale.

We examined habitat use and foraging activity of the endangered Hawaiian hoary bat (Lasiurus cinereus semotus), as well as nocturnal aerial insect abundance at Kaloko-Honōkohau National Historical Park located in the coastal region of Kailua-Kona, Hawai‘i Island. The study area covers approximately 486 ha of marine waters and terrestrial coastal plains. Hawaiian hoary bat echolocation vocalizations were recorded at seven acoustic stations (KAHO1-KAHO7) between 1 and 10 m above sea level, that operated nightly from November 2013 through February 2015. Nocturnal aerial insect collection occurred in January and April (2 or 3 nights each) and in July and November (1 or 2 nights each) in 2014. Insects were collected at three stations KAHO1, KAHO3, and KAHO4. These data summarize the seasonal presence of the Hawaiian hoary bat and nocturnal, aerial insect prey at Kaloko-Honokohau National Historical Park over a 15-month period from November 2013 to February 2015. This data release consists of three tabular data sets including bat acoustic activity, collected insect counts, and collected insect dry biomass data.

We examined habitat use and foraging activity of the endangered Hawaiian hoary bat (Lasiurus cinereus semotus), as well as nocturnal aerial insect abundance at Kaloko-Honōkohau National Historical Park located in the coastal region of Kailua-Kona, Hawai‘i Island. The study area covers approximately 486 ha of marine waters and terrestrial coastal plains. Hawaiian hoary bat echolocation vocalizations were recorded at seven acoustic stations between 1 and 10 m above sea level, that operated nightly from November 2013 through February 2015. This data set includes data derived from these acoustic recording stations. Each acoustic recording station was comprised of an acoustic recording unit (SM2Bat+ Song Meter Digital Field Recorder, Wildlife Acoustics, Concord, MA) programmed to record between 10 and 100 kHz. Each recording unit was deployed in a waterproof housing and powered by a 6 V external battery with solar panel for recharging. An ultrasonic microphone (SMX-US, Wildlife Acoustics, Concord, MA) was mounted on a pole 2 to 3 m above the ground and connected by cable to the recording unit. Upon detection of a vocalizing bat, recording was triggered, and a call file was stored with the corresponding date and time on a secure digital (SD) memory card. SD memory cards were replaced every 2-3 months during which times quality checks on microphones were also made. Each recording unit was configured to operate from one hour before local sunset until one hour after local sunrise.

Habitat use, diet, prey availability and foraging ecology of the endangered Hawaiian hoary bat (Lasiurus cinereus semotus, Vespertilionidae), was examined in the east Maui region inclusive of the Waihou Mitigation Area, Pu‘u Makua Restoration Area and the wind power facility operated by Auwahi Wind Energy, LLC. The study was conducted to inform the mitigation and management requirements of Auwahi Wind Energy, research funding was provided by Auwahi Wind Energy, LLC (Auwahi Wind) to fulfill requirements for mitigating bat fatalities under its approved incidental take permit. Acoustic monitoring over the three-year period demonstrated that bats are present and actively feed year-round at the Waihou Mitigation Area. This study included the first genetic analysis of Hawaiian hoary bat diet items, and broadly confirms the major arthropod orders (Coleoptera, Lepidoptera, Diptera, Hemiptera, and Blattodea) found in previous microscopy-based studies of guano samples.

Habitat use, diet, prey availability and foraging ecology of the endangered Hawaiian hoary bat (Lasiurus cinereus semotus, Vespertilionidae), was examined in the east Maui region inclusive of the Waihou Mitigation Area, Pu‘u Makua Restoration Area and the wind power facility operated by Auwahi Wind Energy, LLC. The study was conducted to inform the mitigation and management requirements of Auwahi Wind Energy, research funding was provided by Auwahi Wind Energy, LLC (Auwahi Wind) to fulfill requirements for mitigating bat fatalities under its approved incidental take permit. Acoustic monitoring over the three-year period demonstrated that bats are present and actively feed year-round at the Waihou Mitigation Area. This study included the first genetic analysis of Hawaiian hoary bat diet items, and broadly confirms the major arthropod orders (Coleoptera, Lepidoptera, Diptera, Hemiptera, and Blattodea) found in previous microscopy-based studies of guano samples.

Habitat use, diet, prey availability and foraging ecology of the endangered Hawaiian hoary bat (Lasiurus cinereus semotus, Vespertilionidae), was examined in the east Maui region inclusive of the Waihou Mitigation Area, Pu‘u Makua Restoration Area and the wind power facility operated by Auwahi Wind Energy, LLC. The study was conducted to inform the mitigation and management requirements of Auwahi Wind Energy, research funding was provided by Auwahi Wind Energy, LLC (Auwahi Wind) to fulfill requirements for mitigating bat fatalities under its approved incidental take permit. Acoustic monitoring over the three-year period demonstrated that bats are present and actively feed year-round at the Waihou Mitigation Area. This study included the first genetic analysis of Hawaiian hoary bat diet items, and broadly confirms the major arthropod orders (Coleoptera, Lepidoptera, Diptera, Hemiptera, and Blattodea) found in previous microscopy-based studies of guano samples.

Habitat use, diet, prey availability and foraging ecology of the endangered Hawaiian hoary bat (Lasiurus cinereus semotus, Vespertilionidae), was examined in the east Maui region inclusive of the Waihou Mitigation Area, Pu‘u Makua Restoration Area and the wind power facility operated by Auwahi Wind Energy, LLC. The study was conducted to inform the mitigation and management requirements of Auwahi Wind Energy, research funding was provided by Auwahi Wind Energy, LLC (Auwahi Wind) to fulfill requirements for mitigating bat fatalities under its approved incidental take permit. This study included the first genetic analysis of Hawaiian hoary bat diet items, and broadly confirms the major arthropod orders (Coleoptera, Lepidoptera, Diptera, Hemiptera, and Blattodea) found in previous microscopy-based studies of guano samples. Hawaiian hoary bats consumed both native and non-native insect species, and moths were the primary diet component, both in terms of its prevalence among individual bats and proportion of gene sequence counts. A total of 18 Lepidoptera families and 24 genus- or species-level taxa were identified in the analysis.

Habitat use, diet, prey availability and foraging ecology of the endangered Hawaiian hoary bat (Lasiurus cinereus semotus, Vespertilionidae), was examined in the east Maui region inclusive of the Waihou Mitigation Area, Pu‘u Makua Restoration Area and the wind power facility operated by Auwahi Wind Energy, LLC. The study was conducted to inform the mitigation and management requirements of Auwahi Wind Energy, research funding was provided by Auwahi Wind Energy, LLC (Auwahi Wind) to fulfill requirements for mitigating bat fatalities under its approved incidental take permit. This study included the first genetic analysis of Hawaiian hoary bat diet items, and broadly confirms the major arthropod orders (Coleoptera, Lepidoptera, Diptera, Hemiptera, and Blattodea) found in previous microscopy-based studies of guano samples. Hawaiian hoary bats consumed both native and non-native insect species, and moths were the primary diet component, both in terms of its prevalence among individual bats and proportion of gene sequence counts. A total of 18 Lepidoptera families and 24 genus- or species-level taxa were identified in the analysis.

The Hawaiian hoary bat (Lasiurus cinereus semotus), a federally and state listed endangered subspecies, is the only extant native terrestrial mammal in the Hawaiian archipelago. It is an insectivorous, solitary and foliage-roosting species that generally roosts alone or in mother-pup family groups. A total of 58 bats (17 female; 41 male; 56 adult; 2 juvenile) were captured at multiple locations on the east side of Hawaii Island from May 2018 through September 2019. Radio transmitters were affixed to 56 bats including two individuals that were recaptured and radio-tagged twice. When possible, radio telemetry was used to locate bats in trees and forest stands used for day-roosting. A total of 23 trees were identified as bat day-roosts and used by 18 radio-tagged bats (10 male; 8 female; 17 adult; 1 juvenile). Additional bats were tracked to a broader scale; in total 45 bat day-roosts were identified to the level of forest stand and these were used by 33 radio-tagged bats (23 male; 10 female; 32 adult; 1 juvenile). Of these 33 bats, fidelity to a roost tree or stand, as measured by the number of distinct days with confirmed occupancy, ranged from 1 to 15 days (mean = 5.0 days). The use of multiple roosts at the stand-level were observed for eight bats. Three maternity roosts were confirmed and two were monitored using acoustic recording and thermal video stations. Finally, bats confirmed as present at a roost tree were used as “targets” to evaluate the efficacy of detecting bats with thermal imaging, and when not effective (i.e., during hotter parts of the day when the technique could not discern bats from warm vegetation), visual searching with binocular was also investigated. Bats were detected in 30 of 95 (32%) trials. This data release consists of six tabular datasets: roost tree metrics, roost stand metrics, roost fidelity, maternity roost acoustic monitoring, maternity roost thermal video monitoring, and roost detection trials.