A bat that feeds low over water, not high in the canopy
Most nights, the southeastern myotis hunts within a few feet of the surface of a swamp, slough, or slow-moving river, snatching midges, mosquitoes, and other small insects that swarm just above the waterline. That low, close-to-water flight style sets it apart from bats that forage higher in open air or glean insects from foliage. It ties the species tightly to wetland habitat in a way most of its Myotis relatives aren’t. Small size and a fast, maneuverable flight let it dart between cypress knees and overhanging branches without much trouble.
Roosting in swamps: tree hollows as often as caves
Unlike many small bats that roost almost exclusively in caves, the southeastern myotis regularly uses hollow trees, especially old, buttressed cypress and tupelo in wooded swamps, as well as culverts and the underside of bridges. Caves remain important too, particularly for large maternity colonies. But the species’ willingness to use trees gives it options in landscapes where natural caves are scarce, which describes much of its low-lying, swampy range across the Southeast.
Pups born over water, in colonies that can number in the hundreds of thousands
Maternity colonies form each spring, sometimes numbering in the hundreds of thousands when the species shares a cave with the vastly more numerous Brazilian free-tailed bat. It clusters together in its own separate patch within the larger crowd. Many of these colonies sit directly over water. A pup that loses its grip and falls isn’t necessarily doomed. Young southeastern myotis can swim, and mothers have been documented retrieving pups from the water below a roost, an unusual bit of behavior for a bat of any kind.
A striking May peak, and what it probably means
Records here climb sharply in May, well above every other month, which lines up neatly with the pupping season and the burst of observer activity that tends to follow large maternity colonies coming together. North Carolina alone accounts for a meaningful share of the total records, likely reflecting where surveys have concentrated rather than where the species is most numerous. The IUCN lists the southeastern myotis as Least Concern, though wetland drainage and disturbance at maternity caves remain real, localized pressures even under a stable overall status.
