Tricolored Bat

Habitat: Open woodlands, forest edges, wetlands, stream corridors, and areas near ponds and lakes. During summer, Tricolored Bats roost among tree foliage, in rock crevices, beneath loose bark, and occasionally in buildings. In winter, they hibernate in caves and mines.

Diet: Small moths, flies, beetles, mosquitoes, and other flying insects captured in open forest habitats and along waterways.

Maternity Colony Size: Typically fewer than 50 females, often ranging from 5–30 individuals.

Hibernation Colony Size: Usually solitary or dispersed throughout caves, though hundreds may occupy the same hibernation site.

Species Notes:
Also known historically as the Eastern Pipistrelle, the Tricolored Bat is one of the most widely distributed cave-hibernating bat species in New York State. Its common name comes from its distinctive fur, in which each hair contains three bands of color.

Unlike many cave bats that cluster tightly together during winter, Tricolored Bats often hibernate alone and prefer warm, humid caves where individuals can remain widely spaced. They are commonly observed hanging openly from cave ceilings and walls rather than squeezing into cracks and crevices.

During summer, Tricolored Bats inhabit open woodlands and areas near water, where they forage for insects along forest edges and above the treetops. They may roost in foliage, rock crevices, tree cavities, and occasionally within buildings. Their slow, fluttering flight is often compared to that of a moth.

The species has experienced severe population declines throughout much of its range due to White-nose Syndrome and is now considered one of the most vulnerable cave-hibernating bats in eastern North America.

Adults have a wingspan of approximately 9 inches, a body length of less than 2 inches, and weigh only a fraction of an ounce, making them one of the smallest bats in the Northeast.