N.C. Bat Species

In North Carolina, the Virginia Big-Eared Bat and the Indiana Bat are federally endangered species and the Northern Long-Eared Bat is federally listed as a threatened species. Other bats that occur in the state’s woodlands are listed below.

 

Eastern Red Bat Lasiurus borealis

Eastern Red Bat (North Carolina Bat Working Group)
When the eastern red bat hibernates, it often uses hollow trees. These bats roost in areas of dense foliage where their red coat is helpful at camouflaging them.

Evening Bat Nycticeius humeralis

Evening Bat (North Carolina Bat Working Group)
This species usually inhabits buildings or tree cavities in summer and are almost never found in caves. Females often give birth to twins (or in some cases triplets), and the young are born in nursery colonies located in hollow trees, attics, buildings and behind loose bark.

Hoary Bat Lasiurus cinereus

Hoary Bat (North Carolina Bat Working Group)
Hoary bats spend daytime hours roosting in trees that are typically near open clearings.

Northern Long-eared Bat Myotis septentrionalis

The Northern Long-eared Bat is federally listed as threatened, primarily due to White Nose Syndrome. It is known to occur only in North Carolina’s mountains and coastal plain – not in the piedmont.

Northern Yellow Bat Lasiurus intermedius

Northern Yellow Bat (North Carolina Bat Working Group)
This bat utilizes mixed hardwood and pine forests, as well as pine groves. It feeds on dragonflies, ants, leafhoppers, mosquitoes and diving beetles, and does most of its foraging in open and grassy areas such as pastures, golf courses, and the edges of lakes and forests.

Rafinesque’s Big-Eared Bat Corynorhinus rafinesquii

Rafinesque Big-Eared Bat (North Carolina Bat Working Group)
Their broad, relatively short wings and lower-pitched feeding calls are ideal tools for feeding within densely vegetated areas such as tree canopies. Rafinesque’s bats roost in caves or hollow trees as well as man-made structures such as abandoned buildings or wells.

Seminole Bats Lasiurus seminolus

Seminole Bat (North Carolina Bat Working Group)
Seminole bats can be found hanging from Spanish moss, loose bark, or leaves in lowland forests with leaf litter lying on the forest floor beneath them to reduce the amount of light reflected on them. Seminoles prefer pine trees specifically for roosting.

Silver-Haired Bat Lasionycteris noctivagans

Silver-Haired Bat (North Carolina Bat Working Group)
This bat can be found in different types of forests near bodies of water roosting in loose bark and tree cavities. They prefer maple, ash and willow trees.

Southeastern Bat Myotis austroriparius

Southeastern Bat (North Carolina Bat Working Group)
In North Carolina and other areas lacking caves, southeastern bats roost in hollow tupelo, gum, or cypress trees in bottomland hardwood forests.

Tri-Colored Bat Pipistrellus subflavus

Mammals of North Carolina Tricolored Bat

The Tricolored Bat  (North Carolina Bat Working Group)
These bats are rarely found in buildings, as they prefer to roost in trees near areas of mixed agricultural use during the summer. They often forage over waterways and forest edges, feeding on moths, beetles, midges, bugs, ants, mosquitoes and other insects.