Indiana Bat
(Myotis sodalis)

Description: This small bat has fur that ranges from nearly black to chestnut on its back with lighter gray or cinnamon fur on the belly. Individual hairs have dark bases with lighter tips. Its wingspread is about 9.5 to 10.5 inches. Indiana bats hibernate in caves and mines during the winter. They disperse from their hibernation caves in the spring and form separate male, female, and juvenile colonies. Females form maternal colonies which roost under the loose bark of trees, usually near water. Little is known about where males spend the summers.

The greatest threat forestry activities pose to Indiana bats is through the disturbance of hibernating colonies in nest caves. A buffer area of undisturbed vegetation should be maintained around the entrances of hibernation caves. Harvest of roost trees can also occur. If roosting bats are found during harvest or site clearing activities, the tree and area around it should be protected until a determination of the bat species is made. Areas that contain Indiana bat roost sites should be managed in a manner that will ensure that an adequate number of roost trees are present, and tha a sufficient wooded area is available within the bat’s home range to support the colony.

Distribution by County: Indiana bats are presently known to occur in Blount, Jackson, Lauderdale, Lawrence, Marshall, Morgan, and Shelby Counties in Alabama.

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