Eastern small-footed bat, considered Ohio's rarest, found by Summit County Metro Parks biologists

CLEVELAND - Metro Parks serving Summit County has recorded Ohio's third known capture of an eastern small-footed bat, considered to be the state's rarest.

According to a parks news release, the bat was found last week during a routine bat survey. The rare find was banded and released after being caught in a mist net placed over the Bike & Hike Trail in Boston Township.

"It's an exciting find," said Mike Johnson, the park district's chief of natural resources, who said little is known about the bat, a state species of concern. "It speaks to the importance of our ongoing research and protecting our natural resources."

September is peak breeding season for bats, and hibernation will soon begin for six of the now nine species recorded in the Metro Parks, including big brown, little brown, northern long-eared, Indiana, eastern pipistrelle and the new eastern small-footed bat.

Three species, hoary, red and silver-haired, migrate south for winter, parks officials said.

Most of the hibernating bats will take refuge in caves and ledges, like those in Liberty Park in Twinsburg, not far from where the eastern small-footed bat was discovered, and the Boston Ledges in Cuyahoga Valley National Park.

Many bats eat more than 1,000 mosquitoes per hour when active.