The Gray Bat: It’s Beautiful
There are many things about the gray bat that people do not know and we’ll explore some facts here. The gray bat is one of the largest species of the Myotis group and generally speaking, this beautiful creature tends to stick to the eastern United States. Places like Kentucky, Missouri, Tennessee, Florida, Georgia, Kansas, Indiana, Illinois, Oklahoma, Mississippi, Virginia and maybe even North Carolina are all places that the gray bat lives or has lived.
Gray bat Quick Facts
| Common name | Gray bat |
| Scientific name | Myotis grisescens |
| Kingdom | Animalia |
| Phylum | Chordata |
| Class | Mammalia |
| Order | Chiroptera |
| Family | Vespertilionidae |
| Genus | Myotis |
| Conservation status | Vulnerable |
| Type | Mammal (bat) |
| Diet | Insectivore: insects caught at night |
| Habitat | Caves all year, near rivers or lakes |
| Native range | Eastern United States |
| Size | About 4 inches long |
| Colours | Gray; sometimes russet in summer |
| Special feature | Hibernates in caves at 42-52 degrees F |
What Does a Gray Bat Look Like?
The gray bat is it is roughly four inches in length and it is the only Myotis to have the wing membrane attached to its ankle instead of it being attached at the base of the toe. The gray bat is also the only bat with back hair that is the same color from base to tip. Usually, the fur on a gray bat is … gray, but sometimes it can look russet in the summer.
Gray Bat Habitat
The habitat of a gray bat is caves. While you may think that most bats love caves, that is not actually true. There are many bats that do not use caves as their home, rather they use hollow trees, old buildings, old homes; the gray bat however, uses caves. The gray bat is also one of the bats that hibernate and while most bats would rather make the journey to warmer climates, because of the location, gray bats are willing to hibernate inside their caves. In order for a bat to go into hibernation, the cave needs to stay at forty-two to fifty-two degrees; this will keep them cool yet not too cold.
These beautiful creatures do not only use caves in the wintertime, they utilize caves in the summertime as well. They usually just have to relocate themselves to a cave near a river or a lake so they can feed during the summer. A grey bat is more than willing to fly as far as twelve miles from their home cave in order to find food though, so if there are no caves near any streams or rivers, a gray bat can fly a ways to find food elsewhere.
What Do Gray Bats Eat?
Like many ‘microbats’, the gray bat’s diet consists of insects. This is one of the main reasons why a gray bat likes to be near the water, as it is easier to find food there. Like most bats, gray bats do all of their hunting at night and feed at night.
Is the Gray Bat Endangered?
There is also something different about the gray bat that many people do not know of; it is on the endanger species list. There are not all that many grey bats left. Slow reproduction and habitat destruction have contributed to their population decline.
Gray bat FAQs
What do gray bats eat?
Gray bats hunt insects at night. They like to live near rivers and lakes because food is easier to find over water.
Where do gray bats live?
Gray bats live in the eastern United States, in states such as Kentucky, Missouri and Tennessee. They use caves in both summer and winter.
Do gray bats hibernate?
Yes. Gray bats hibernate inside caves where the temperature stays between 42 and 52 degrees Fahrenheit, cool but not too cold.
How far will a gray bat fly to find food?
A gray bat will fly as far as 12 miles from its home cave to find food if there is no stream or river nearby.
Is the gray bat endangered?
Yes, the gray bat is on the endangered species list. There are not many left because they have babies slowly and their habitat has been destroyed.
Randi Jones is the owner and founder of the Nature Gift Store, an online retailer specializing in nature-themed gifts, educational science projects, live animal nature kits and real butterfly artwork. A biology graduate who fell in love with insects, she founded the company in 2001 to make active learning about nature fun, accessible and engaging for children and adults. Her store offers real butterfly frames, home and garden decor and educational live animal kits, including ant farms, worm farms, tadpoles, ladybugs and hermit crabs, and she runs a bug museum in Washington featuring live animals like Eddie the Iguana alongside other reptiles and insects.
