Species · GBIF taxon 2432406
Little Brown Bat
Myotis lucifugusAlso known as Little Brown Myotis
Little brown bats are highly social nocturnal mammals that roost in tight colonies within warm attics, tree cavities, and caves. Emerging at dusk, they use sophisticated echolocation to hunt thousands of mosquitoes, midges, and moths over water bodies each night. During winter, they migrate to humid caves and abandoned mines to hibernate, where they currently face devastating population declines from white-nose syndrome.
NocturnalInsectivorousCave-Dweller
—observations
—countries
—peak records
EndangeredConservation statusIUCN Red List categoriesLCNTVUENCREWEXEndangeredRed List categories, explained →
Diet & prey
- Mosquitoes
- Midges
- Moths
Predators
- Domestic Cats
- Owls
- Snakes
ThreatsWhite-nose syndrome, habitat loss, wind turbines, and pesticide exposure
HabitatsDeciduous and coniferous forests, wetlands, urban areas, caves, and attics
Life span6 to 10 years in the wild, though some survive over 30 years
Size / weightNot available
Classification
- FamilyVespertilionidae
- SpeciesMyotis lucifugus
Range data is not available yet.
Interaction riskModerate
- Low
- Moderate
- High
- Very high
- Why interaction risk is moderate
- Can carry rabies and may bite if handled; observe from a safe distance and never touch.
- Why it is dangerous
- Can transmit rabies through bites or scratches, and their guano can harbor histoplasmosis spores.
- How to recognize a risky encounter
- Identified by glossy brown fur, small size, and lack of a keeled calcar on the hind foot.
- What to do
- Never touch a bat with bare hands; contact animal control if one is found grounded or indoors.
- What to notice
- Look for small bats roosting in caves during winter or emerging from maternal colonies in summer.
- Support conservation
- Avoid entering hibernation caves during winter to prevent spreading the fungus and waking the bats.
Responsible observation
- Watch at Dusk: Stand near calm water bodies or forest edges at sunset to watch them forage.
- Exclude Humanely: Use one-way exit devices to safely remove bats from attics during late summer.
- Install Bat Houses: Provide alternative roosting sites by mounting dark-colored bat boxes on sunny walls.
Distant Relative (c) Fyn Kynd, some rights reserved (CC BY) · cc-by
Close Relative (c) Marlo Perdicas, some rights reserved (CC BY), uploaded by Marlo Perdicas · cc-by
Close Relative (c) U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Headquarters, some rights reserved (CC BY) · cc-by
Close Relative
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