Mammal · GBIF taxon 2432418
Indiana Bat
Myotis sodalisAlso known as Indiana Myotis, Social Bat
Indiana bats gather by the thousands in cold limestone caves for winter hibernation, tightly packing together to conserve heat and body fat. During warmer months, pregnant females migrate to deciduous forests where they form nursery colonies beneath the sloughing bark of dead or dying trees. Nocturnal foragers, these small insectivores dart through forest canopies to catch midges, moths, and beetles on the wing.
NocturnalCave DwellerInsectivore
1 / 2—observations
—countries
—peak records
Near ThreatenedConservation statusIUCN Red List categoriesLCNTVUENCREWEXNear ThreatenedRed List categories, explained →
Diet & prey
- Moths
- Beetles
- Flies
Predators
- Owls
- Snakes
- Raccoons
ThreatsWhite-nose syndrome, human disturbance during hibernation, and habitat loss
HabitatsLimestone caves in winter; oak-hickory forests under loose tree bark in summer
Life span14 to 20 years
Size / weightNot available
Classification
- FamilyVespertilionidae
- SpeciesMyotis sodalis
Range data is not available yet.
Interaction riskModerate
- Low
- Moderate
- High
- Very high
- Why interaction risk is moderate
- Can carry rabies; avoid contact and observe roosts from a distance without disturbing hibernating bats.
- Why it is dangerous
- Wild bats can transmit the rabies virus through bites or scratches, making direct physical contact dangerous.
- How to recognize a risky encounter
- Look for a small brownish bat with pinkish lips, dark ears, and a distinct keeled calcar on the hind foot.
- What to do
- Never touch or pick up a grounded bat; contact local wildlife rehabilitators or animal control immediately.
- What to notice
- Identified by dense clustering in winter caves and summer roosting under loose tree bark in hardwood forests.
- Support conservation
- Observe strictly from outside gated cave entrances and avoid disturbing maternal roost trees between April and August.
Responsible observation
- Cave Etiquette: Never enter restricted hibernation caves during winter months to protect bats from deadly arousal.
- Forest Preservation: Retain mature trees and standing dead snags on rural property to provide essential roosting bark.
- Bat Houses: Install bat houses nearby to offer alternative summer roosting options away from buildings.
Cave Companion 
Competitor (c) Fyn Kynd, some rights reserved (CC BY) · cc-by
Close Relative "Little brown bat affected by White-nose Syndrome" by U. S. Fish and Wildlife Service - Northeast Region is marked with Public Domain Mark 1.0. To view the terms, visit https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/mark/1.0/. · cc0
Close Relative (c) U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Headquarters, some rights reserved (CC BY) · cc-by
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