Silver-Haired Bat (Lasionycteris noctivagans)

This species of bat is a woodland species that has a far-stretching range. They are distributed across the entire United States (except for Florida), into northern Mexico, Southern Canada, and even as far north as Alaska. They are dark brown or black in color with a silver frosting on the tips of their fur. This color gives them a look of being icy. They are non-migratory and hibernate throughout the winter.

They choose roosting and hibernating sites in areas like tree hollows, under loose bark, rock crevices, wood piles, cliff faces, and sometimes can be found in caves. Silver-hairs are insectivores, like most bat species, and they will eat things like flies, midges, moths, spiders, and mosquitoes. They are showing stable populations that are not carrying any sort of special endangered or threatened status.

Although they are solitary creatures, the females will form small maternity groups for the winter. Males and females will remain separate unless they are in mating season. They will mate in early fall before they hibernate and will not give birth until late June or early July of the following year. They do have some natural predators like owls, raccoons, and skunks, depending on where they are roosting or if they have fallen from their roost.

Bat Species Found In Houston Texas