Eastern Small-footed Bat

Scientific Name: Myotis leibii

Weight: 3-4 grams

Wingspan: 21-25centimeters

Distribution: Eastern Canada and New England south to Alabama and Georgia and west to Oklahoma.

Ecology and Behavior: This is the smallest bat in the eastern United States. Eastern small-footed bats hibernate in caves or mines and are among the hardiest cave bats in the eastern United States. They are one of the last to enter the caves in autumn and often hibernate near cave or mine entrances where temperatures drop below freezing and where humidity is relatively low. Several have been found hibernating in cracks in cave floors and under rock slabs in quarries and elsewhere. In summer they often inhabit buildings and caves. They often fly repeated patterns within less than one meter of the floor of a cave or crevice, hang up on the wall, and then fly again. These bats emerge to forage shortly after sunset. They fly slowly and erratically, usually 1-3 meters above the ground.

Food Habits: Apparently these bats fill their stomachs within an hour after beginning to forage in the evening. They consume flies, mosquitoes, true bugs, beetles, ants, and other insects.

Reproduction: One young is born each year: probably in late spring or early summer. Small nursery colonies of 20 bats or fewer have been reported from buildings. Lifespan is unknown but may be more than 9 years.

Status of Populations: Eastern small-footed bats are rare throughout their range, although they are more common in the northern rather than southern United States.