Southeastern myotis are cave bats that roost above water and swamp forest, flying low to catch insects at dusk, habits that put them far from Illinois’ open prairie core. The state’s record is about as thin as it gets, a single report since 2000, which reflects a species living at the edge of its range.
With one record, dating back to 2016, there’s no seasonal pattern to describe.
NatureServe ranks the Illinois population S2, imperiled, well below the secure status the species holds in parts of the Southeast. It’s still classified as native here, but between the rarity and the aging record, Illinois reads as a marginal outpost for this bat rather than reliable territory.
