Lost River - Karst Information Portal

Lasiurus cinereus (horary bat), female in flight, ¾
view. © Merlin D. Tuttle, Bat Conservation
International.
Pipistrellus subflavus (eastern pipistrelle),
hibernating, close-up. © Merlin D. Tuttle, Bat
Conservation International.
Bats in Indiana Caves
Nycticeius humeralis (evening bat), roosting in a
building. © Merlin D. Tuttle, Bat Conservation
International.
big brown bat (Eptesicus fuscus). These often
hibernate in particularly cold areas of caves,
such as near an entrance. They usually enter
hibernation late, and leave early. In summer
they mostly use attics, bridges, barns, bat
houses, and other man-made structures. A semicolonial
species, big browns are found in small
clusters of several to hundreds of individuals.
This bat is considerably larger than the Myotis
bats, with long, glossy fur and a broad muzzle.
The rounded, dark ears and darkish “mask”
across the face are other good identifying
characteristics.
The last distinctive cave bat is the
Rafinesque’s big-eared bat (Corynorhinus
rafinesquii). It is easily distinguished from
other bats by its extremely long ears, which
may be curled like ram’s horns when roosting,
especially in hibernation. Rafinesque’s bigeared
bat has white belly fur, and the toe hairs
extending beyond the end of its toes. It often
roosts near cave entrances or in rock shelters,
and sometimes in abandoned buildings and
hollow trees. It is included in this list because
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