Second Annual Summer Mist Net Event

The Second Annual MS Bat Working Group (MBWG) Summer Mist Net Event was held at Bienville National Forest (NF) on June 20-22, 2005. The meeting was hosted by Bienville NF and sponsored by Roosevelt State Park, Weyerhaeuser Co., Scott County Extension Service, MS State Extension Service, and the Scott County Board of Supervisors. The event was well-attended by 25 MBWG members representing the following organizations/schools:

  • MMNS
  • Mississippi Department of Wildlife, Fisheries, and Parks (MDWFP)
  • MS Museum of Natural Science (MMNS)
  • US Fish and Wildlife Service
  • US Forest Service
  • US Army Engineer Research and Development Center (USAERDC)
  • MS State Extension Service
  • Scott County Extension Service
  • Scott County Board of Supervisors
  • University of Southern Mississippi
  • Mississippi State University
  • University of Georgia, Athens
  • University of Louisiana, Shreveport
  • Oikos Enterprises LLC
  • Weyerhaeuser Company

The event began with the following presentations regarding bat research and background information:

  • Welcome to Bienville NF - Nefisia Kitrell, US Forest Service
  • The Benefits of Mist Net Events - Alison Sherman, MMNS and MBWG Secretary
  • MS Bats: Past, Present, and Future - Chester Martin, USAERDC and MBWG Chair
  • Bat Survey Equipment and Techniques - Lann Wilf, MDWFP
  • Vicksburg Military Park Bat Survey: Preliminary Results - Jen Linehan, University of GA, Athens
  • Bat Condos - Gary Hanson, University of LA, Shreveport

Mist net surveys were conducted on 2 consecutive nights resulting in 27 bat captures representing 4 species captured at 8 surveys sites. Among the captures were the Southeastern myotis (13 captures), Evening bat (11), Red bat (4), and Eastern pipistrelle (1). Activities during the day included lounging by the pool, playing on the water slide, and hiking.

I want to extend a huge thank you to the following organizations and people for making this such a productive and fun event: Andre Hollis, Roosevelt State Park for providing free lodging to participants, Darren Miller, Weyerhaeuser Co. for providing dinner on 6/20/05, Anita Webb, MS State Extension Service, Scott County Extension Service, and Scott County Board of Supervisors for providing dinner on 6/21/05, David Carter, Bienville NF, for hosting the event, Nefisia Kitrell for locating sponsors and for all of her hard work, Paul Windham and Art Bradshaw, Caney Creek WMA, for help with site selections and hospitality, Candy Stevenson for support organizing the event, all of the staff at Bienville NF and Roosevelt State Park, Dean Elsen, and of course to all presenters, team leaders, and event participants.

Alison Sherman,
MBWG Secretary
July 11, 2005