Meteors & Myotis

Naturalist Knowledge

Have you already read and tested your knowledge on Meteors & Myotis?

Be sure to check out before scrolling below to the answers!

WANDERLUST TRIVIA

Congrats to Olivia C. for correctly answering the questions below!

Question

August starts the mating season for Myotis (little brown bats). During this month look for swarms of bats whose mating is random and promiscuous! During this season, pregnant bats will increase their eating. What percentage of their body weight do pregnant bats eat each night?

Answer

The mating season usually starts in August and pups are born approximately two months later. Once the young are born, they are dependent on their mother for food and warmth. At about one month of age, they can fly and catch insects on their own. Each mother has one pup a year.  Both males and females mate with more than one partner.

100% of their body weight!  Pregnant bats double their insect intake during pregnancy eating often just over their body weight! The gestation period for bats is only 2 months and typically each mother will only have one pup at a time! 

Question

Which comet path does the earth pass through in August to produce the perseids meteor shower?

Answer

Comet swift tuttle!  This comet is the largest object known to repeatedly pass by earth.  It's nucleus is about 16miles wide!  Although we yearly pass through its dust, the next time the comet will pass by earth will be in 2126! 

Question

August often brings the word drought to the forefront of our thoughts. In central Oregon, what was the last year that we ran out of water in our reservoirs thus causing the Arnold Irrigation district to shut down entirely?

Answer

1994  

Periods of drought occur regularly in the Central Oregon region.

The Deschutes Basin drought cycle usually occurs about every 10 years with impacts we are still studying today.