Maternity colony (bats) Maternity colony (bats) A maternity colony refers to a temporary association of reproductive female bats for giving birth to, nursing, and weaning their pups. The colonies are initiated by pregnant bats. After giving birth, the colony consists of the lactating females and their offspring. After weaning, juveniles will leave the maternity colony, and the colony itself will break apart. The size of a maternity colony is highly variable by species, with some species forming colonies consisting of ten or fewer individuals, while the largest maternity colony in the world in Bracken Cave is estimated to have over 15 million bats.
Bats of Canada an invasive species which grows in the skin of the bat, and has affected bats from Eastern Ontario to The Maritimes. The fungus causes bats to warm prematurely and wake early from hibernation, forcing them to deplete their stores of fat before spring. It is believed that "human activity in caves is contributing to its spread", as humans may carry the disease on clothing or equipment to which bats may become exposed. Many agencies and organizations in jurisdictions in eastern Canada and eastern United States are coordinating research and conservation programs to prevent its spread, including the Ontario Ministry of