Bat Inventory at Shaker Village of Pleasant Hill, Kentucky
Since 2019, Volant EcoServices biologists have supported a long-term bat monitoring effort at Shaker Village of Pleasant Hill in Mercer County, Kentucky. Mist-net surveys are conducted every two years along forested corridors and stream habitats to document bat diversity, detect federally and state-listed species, and track changes in populations over time.
Across multiple survey years, the project has confirmed the consistent presence of the federally endangered gray bat (Myotis grisescens), including reproductively active females and juveniles, highlighting the importance of the site in providing foraging and commuting habitat for the species. Other species documented include eastern red bat, big brown bat, evening bat, and occasional captures of rare Myotis.
By applying the most current U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service survey guidelines, Volant ensures high-quality data collection that informs both site management and regional conservation. This ongoing collaboration demonstrates how long-term monitoring can provide critical insight into bat populations while supporting Shaker Village’s broader conservation mission.
In 2026, Volant expanded the Shaker Village survey program to include hibernaculum assessments and acoustic monitoring of karst features — work that documented tricolored bat use of the site for the first time in six years of monitoring.
Interested in establishing a long-term bat monitoring program for your conservation property, land trust, or managed landscape? Contact Volant EcoServices to discuss a customized bat inventory and monitoring program tailored to your site and conservation goals across Kentucky, Ohio, and the eastern United States.
