Cave Myotis (Myotis velifer)

The Cave Myotis (Myotis velifer) are social bats, gathering in colonies that can number in the thousands or even tens of thousands.

Artwork ©Juliet Whitsett | Social: @juliet_whitsett_art      |     Purchase prints:HERE

"Cave myotis are social bats, gathering in colonies that can number in the thousands or even tens of thousands. Found across the southwestern United States and Mexico, they spend their days packed together in caves, mines, and other sheltered roosts, sometimes sharing these spaces with several other bat species. When the sun goes down, the colony pours into the night to hunt moths, beetles, and other insects, using echolocation to find their prey. Their cave homes provide protection from the heat and dry conditions of their environment, but these communal roosts can also leave them vulnerable. Disturbance can send an entire colony scrambling for a new home, while white-nose syndrome adds another very serious threat. Protecting a single cave or mine can mean protecting thousands of bats."

Species information and photo generously provided by: AustinBatRefuge.org

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RANGE:

RANGE: IUCN Red List http://www.iucnredlist.org

Check out the entire  "The Night Shift: Austin's Native Bats" Series!

Launched in collaboration with Austin Bat Refuge at the Really Small Museum during Bat month (October 2026):

Artwork ©Juliet Whitsett | Social: @juliet_whitsett_art   

Juliet Whitsett is an Austin-based artist and environmental advocate specializing in biodiversity, ecological storytelling, and public engagement. Through research-driven art, she makes scientific knowledge accessible, inspiring awareness and action for the natural world.

5% of the profits of any sale supports Endangered & Threatened Species.

SOURCES:

AUSTIN BAT REFUGE: https://leem16.sg-host.com/ourwork/local-species/cave-myotis/

IUCN Red List (September, 2014) http://www.iucnredlist.org