General Habitat:: Found in the southeast ranging from southern Virginia west through West Virginia, Kentucky, southern Illinois, part of Arkansas, southeastern Oklahoma and eastern Texas. This species is found in nearly every forest type that occurs within its range, although densest concentrations to date may be in the swamps of North Carolina. Little is known of the hibernation of this bat. They can be found throughout the winter in northern parts of the range, but in Louisiana, only 20% of all bats encountered during the period December to May were in torpor. Copulation apparently takes place in autumn and winter, but the timing of fertilization, implantation, and the period of gestation are unknown.
The young are born in late May and early June; parturition is earlier in southern portions of the range. Young become volant in about three weeks, and by about one month of age, the weight of the young is approximately that of adults. Adult females greatly outnumber adult males in summer nursery colonies. Aggregations of males apparently form at alternate locations. Roost sites have been most frequently located in the twilight areas of unoccupied buildings, but natural roosts include caves and trees. Colonies consist of several to a hundred; northern colonies may be larger than colonies in more southerly areas. This bat forages after dusk and returns to the roost before dawn, avoiding the twilight hours. This species forages about the foliage of swampland trees, and establishes a night roost in hollow black gum trees. In this area, the bat forages predominantly on moths.
General Description:This bat is 3.51-4.25in (8.9-10.8cm) in size. It is brown with white-tipped fur on its belly. Wings and interfemoral membrane are naked. The ears are large, 1.25in (3.2cm) long, extending to middle of back when laid back. Two large glandular lumps occur on the nose. When disturbed these bats unfold their large ears; when the bats are resting, ears are coiled against the side of the head rather like a ram's horns; this reduces the ear's surface area, minimizing water loss. They roost singly, and they hibernate. The ability to hover like a butterfly enables them to pluck insects from foliage.
