The team at Muir Woods National Monument and Samuel P. Taylor State Park is tracking hoary (Lasiurus cinereus) and western red bats (Lasiurus blossevillii). Image: NPS / Emily Pellegrini

October is officially Bat Appreciation Month . In the spirit of the season and conservation, a team of biologists in California recently spent time finding bats at Muir Woods National Monument and Samuel P. Taylor State Park. And while Halloween is fast approaching, the activity had nothing to do with spooky festivities and everything to do with tracking hoary ( Lasiurus cinereus ) and western red bats ( Lasiurus blossevillii ).

The goal of their survey was to put GPS trackers on bats from the two migratory species. Hoary bats have grey-white fur and are the most widespread bat species in North, Central, and South America. Western red bats , also known as southern red bats, sport a reddish fur and are found in parts of South America.…