You are such a southeastern myotis! You are a bit of an enigma and can be tough to recognize in a crowd, you are small like lots of your cousins and have a classic brunette look. To be honest, you are a little picky about where you want to hang out, and have a pretty restricted range… but hey, at least you know what you like! You are sort of like an ogre, not in the sense that you have layers (which yes of course you obviously do), but because you really like to set up in a secluded swamp and take it easy.

Bats are one of the most misunderstood and important animals on the planet. They are key in pest control, and save us more than $1 billion a year in crop damage and pesticide costs. They are also important pollinators for plants like peaches, and agave (which makes tequila!), and help disperse seeds helping to replant the rain forests.

You can help these misunderstood creatures by cutting down on pesticide usage, participating in our community science program (https://forms.illinois.edu/sec/5172483), and helping to support a natural habitat in your own back yard!

If you are super into caves, which let’s be honest I know you are, it totally makes sense you are a gray bat. You are super unique in that you hang out in caves all year round! You also know the value of a good summer home, and make use of different types of caves during the year (hello toasty winter cave, anyone?!). You are an out-doorsy type, and are often spotted frequenting natural havens like streams, rivers, and lakes in serene wooded areas (who doesn’t love the sound of running water as the soundtrack for your echolocation in the evening?).

Bats are one of the most misunderstood and important animals on the planet. They are key in pest control, and save us more than $1 billion a year in crop damage and pesticide costs. They are also important pollinators for plants like peaches, and agave (which makes tequila!), and help disperse seeds helping to replant the rain forests.

You can help these misunderstood creatures by cutting down on pesticide usage, participating in our community science program (https://forms.illinois.edu/sec/5172483), and helping to support a natural habitat in your own back yard!

Hey Northern long-eared! Your ears are big, but in a chic, understated sort of way. You are easy going and with your large range, you can make yourself at home almost anywhere. You have total wanderlust and love to spend you winters in a cozy cave or mine, and your summers soaring around the warm green forests.

Bats are one of the most misunderstood and important animals on the planet. They are key in pest control, and save us more than $1 billion a year in crop damage and pesticide costs. They are also important pollinators for plants like peaches, and agave (which makes tequila!), and help disperse seeds helping to replant the rain forests.

You can help these misunderstood creatures by cutting down on pesticide usage, participating in our community science program (https://forms.illinois.edu/sec/5172483), and helping to support a natural habitat in your own back yard!

Hey twinkle toes! You are an eastern small-footed bat. You are rocking the ombre look with your golden tips and darker base. You were way ahead of the mask requirements and have always had a black facial mask on! The dry, rugged terrain of the wild really speaks to you, and are right at home with some trendy exposed stone walls. You are also super grounded and sometimes cuddle up under some comfy rocks. Your friends all think you are laid back, slow and low flyer. You are a little bit of a procrastinator and often show up late to the hibernaculum for your winters.

Bats are one of the most misunderstood and important animals on the planet. They are key in pest control, and save us more than $1 billion a year in crop damage and pesticide costs. They are also important pollinators for plants like peaches, and agave (which makes tequila!), and help disperse seeds helping to replant the rain forests.

You can help these misunderstood creatures by cutting down on pesticide usage, participating in our community science program (https://forms.illinois.edu/sec/5172483), and helping to support a natural habitat in your own back yard!

OMG is that Anderson Cooper?! Oh wait, that’s no silver fox, it’s a silver-haired bat. You are just passing though Illinois on your way to a tropical winter vacay! You are super creative and make yourself comfy in lots of types of habitats, (chic abandoned woodpecker holes anyone??) Although you are beautiful, we really need to keep our eyes out for you because we are seeing less and less of you around here.

Bats are one of the most misunderstood and important animals on the planet. They are key in pest control, and save us more than $1 billion a year in crop damage and pesticide costs. They are also important pollinators for plants like peaches, and agave (which makes tequila!), and help disperse seeds helping to replant the rain forests.

You can help these misunderstood creatures by cutting down on pesticide usage, participating in our community science program (https://forms.illinois.edu/sec/5172483), and helping to support a natural habitat in your own back yard!

Hello stunning ombre highlights! You are a sucker for a good nickname, and no one seems exactly sure what to call you. You are a cozy winter snoozer, and would rather stick around and take it easy than trudge on some exhausting migration. You know a good location when you find one, and tend to return to the same spot year after year! Sometimes you are a lone wolf (bat), but you are also good in a tight pod of friends.

Bats are one of the most misunderstood and important animals on the planet. They are key in pest control, and save us more than $1 billion a year in crop damage and pesticide costs. They are also important pollinators for plants like peaches, and agave (which makes tequila!), and help disperse seeds helping to replant the rain forests.

You can help these misunderstood creatures by cutting down on pesticide usage, participating in our community science program (https://forms.illinois.edu/sec/5172483), and helping to support a natural habitat in your own back yard!

Look at you, you little (big) social batterfly! The ladies are best hanging with the squad (I’m talking hundreds!), while the guys would rather just soar solo. Being health-conscious is very important to you, and you are often spotted munching on a cucumber (beetle) salad. You are super flexible and make tons of different kinds of homes work for you (hello, trendy exposed brick chimney loft!)

Bats are one of the most misunderstood and important animals on the planet. They are key in pest control, and save us more than $1 billion a year in crop damage and pesticide costs. They are also important pollinators for plants like peaches, and agave (which makes tequila!), and help disperse seeds helping to replant the rain forests.

You can help these misunderstood creatures by cutting down on pesticide usage, participating in our community science program (https://forms.illinois.edu/sec/5172483), and helping to support a natural habitat in your own back yard!

Everyone loves a red head! You male red bats are right at home in a cottage with the Weasley family, and maybe even have your own hand-knit sweater… and the blond bomb shell red bat ladies are even more fun (and I hear frosted tips are very in season).You’re the kind of bat that likes to hang solo, and I’m sorry… sometimes you look a bit like a dead leaf.

Bats are one of the most misunderstood and important animals on the planet. They are key in pest control, and save us more than $1 billion a year in crop damage and pesticide costs. They are also important pollinators for plants like peaches, and agave (which makes tequila!), and help disperse seeds helping to replant the rain forests.

You can help these misunderstood creatures by cutting down on pesticide usage, participating in our community science program (https://forms.illinois.edu/sec/5172483), and helping to support a natural habitat in your own back yard!

Is that Justin Timberlake? Ooh sorry, Hoary bat, you almost fooled me with those frosted tips! You are a high flier who is going places baby! You sing your own unique song, and there’s no one else out there who shares that voice. You aren’t super social, and would much rather blaze your own trails during your annual vacations! And maybe you just might be the largest bat in the whole wide state!

Bats are one of the most misunderstood and important animals on the planet. They are key in pest control, and save us more than $1 billion a year in crop damage and pesticide costs. They are also important pollinators for plants like peaches, and agave (which makes tequila!), and help disperse seeds helping to replant the rain forests.

You can help these misunderstood creatures by cutting down on pesticide usage, participating in our community science program (https://forms.illinois.edu/sec/5172483), and helping to support a natural habitat in your own back yard!

If the early bird was a mammal, it would be you, little evening bat! You don’t need to be a night owl to spot this twilight critter, as they emerge just as the sun sets. For spring break, the ladies meet up in their home towns and gather with hundreds of their closest pals. Some like it hot, and by some, I mean you. You like to toast around 83-96 degrees, and will hop around your range to stay balmy.

Bats are one of the most misunderstood and important animals on the planet. They are key in pest control, and save us more than $1 billion a year in crop damage and pesticide costs. They are also important pollinators for plants like peaches, and agave (which makes tequila!), and help disperse seeds helping to replant the rain forests.

You can help these misunderstood creatures by cutting down on pesticide usage, participating in our community science program (https://forms.illinois.edu/sec/5172483), and helping to support a natural habitat in your own back yard!

*whispering* hey lil big-ears. didn’t mean to startle you, because I’m sure you could hear us coming from a mile away so we’ll keep it down. Shhhh… I hear you might be an eccentric and erratic genius like your 19th century name sake. You might be a little antsy and can’t seem to settle down, always switching up roosts! You are a unique beauty, and really nobody else in Illinois looks like you.

Bats are one of the most misunderstood and important animals on the planet. They are key in pest control, and save us more than $1 billion a year in crop damage and pesticide costs. They are also important pollinators for plants like peaches, and agave (which makes tequila!), and help disperse seeds helping to replant the rain forests.

You can help these misunderstood creatures by cutting down on pesticide usage, participating in our community science program (https://forms.illinois.edu/sec/5172483), and helping to support a natural habitat in your own back yard!