Native to North America, this bat is one of the most common and widespread bat species across the U.S. and Canada—often seen fluttering over lakes, rivers, and backyards at dusk, silently swooping for insects. Despite its ordinary name and humble size (it only weighs about as much as a nickel), the little brown bat plays a huge role in controlling insect populations, especially mosquitoes and crop pests.

One of the coolest things about the little brown bat is its insane appetite. A single bat can eat up to 1,000 mosquitoes in one hour! And it doesn’t stop there—it’ll feast on moths, beetles, gnats, and midges too. They use echolocation to hunt, sending out high-pitched sounds that bounce off objects and return as echoes. This natural sonar allows them to navigate in complete darkness and snatch tiny insects right out of the air with incredible precision. You could say they’re like flying bug zappers—but way cooler and much more efficient.

During the day, little brown bats roost in dark, quiet places like attics, barns, caves, and tree hollows. At night, they emerge for several hours of active feeding. In summer, females form maternity colonies where they raise their pups together. A mother bat usually gives birth to just one baby per year, and despite roosting in groups with hundreds of other bats, she can identify her pup by its scent and sound alone—a pretty amazing skill.

Unfortunately, this tiny marvel is now under serious threat from a white-nose syndrome disease, caused by a fungus that grows on hibernating bats and disrupts their sleep. Since the mid-2000s, the disease has wiped out millions of little brown bats, making it one of the fastest-declining mammals in North America. Conservation groups are now working hard to protect remaining populations and slow the spread of the disease.

Distribution

Country

Population est.

Status

Year

Comments

Canada

2018

United States

2018