- Scientific Name
- Myotis septentrionalis
- Family
- Vespertilionidae
- Region
- USA, Virginia, Rhode Island, Alabama, West Virginia, Vermont, Arkansas, Maryland, Wisconsin, Canada, Georgia, North Dakota, Alberta, Illinois, South Dakota, British Columbia, Indiana, Connecticut, Manitoba, Iowa, Delaware, New Brunswick, Kansas, District of Columbia, Newfoundland, Kentucky, Maine, Northwest Territories, Mississippi, Massachusetts, Nova Scotia, Missouri, Michigan, Ontario, Nebraska, Minnesota, Prince Edward Island, North Carolina, New Hampshire, Quebec, Ohio, New Jersey, Saskatchewan, South Carolina, New York, Yukon, Tennessee, Pennsylvania, North America
Pronunciation:my-oh-tis sep-ten-tree-oh-nal-is
The northern long-eared bat is distributed across eastern North America from Manitoba across southern Canada to Newfoundland, south to northern Florida, west through the south central states and northwest to the Dakotas. It is found in dense forest stands and chooses maternity roosts beneath exfoliating bark and in tree cavities, much like the Indiana myotis. And, like the Indiana myotis, the northern long-eared bat relies upon caves and underground mines for hibernation sites, where it typically chooses cooler sites than eastern pipistrelles and little brown bat.
Unlike the Indiana myotis though, this species is generally more solitary and is most often found singly or in very small groups. During the summer, the northern long-eared bat appears especially reliant upon forested habitats and is found in greater densities in the northern areas of its range than in the south. Little is known about its food habits, although it has been observed foraging along forest edges, over forest clearings, at tree-top levels, and occasionally over ponds.