Bats belong to the order  Chiroptera.  Out of the four families of bats found in the United States, there is only one confirmed family living in Idaho:  Vespertilionidae.  In this one family, there are eight different genera occuring in Idaho, with fourteen different species among them.  Pictures, distribution and ecology are listed below.

Hoary Bat ( Lasiurus cinereus)
Western Pipistrelle ( Pipistrellus hesperus)
Fringed Myotis ( Myotis thysanodes)
Long-legged Myotis ( Myotis volans)
Western Small-footed Myotis ( Myotis cilliolabrum)
Little Brown Bat ( Myotis lucifugus)
Yuma Myotis ( Myotis yumanensis)
California Myotis ( Myotis californicus)
Spotted Bat ( Euderma maculatum)
Townsend's Big-eared Bat ( Corynorhinus townsendii)
Pallid Bat ( Antrozous pallidus)
Long-eared Myotis ( Myotis evotis)
Big Brown Bat ( Eptesicus fuscus)
Silver-haired Bat ( Lasionycteris noctivagans)

		ORDER CHIROPTERA **Bats** Of the 26 orders of mammals in the Class Mammalia, the order Chiroptera, which means winged hand, is graced with an amazing diversity of 925 recognized species. In fact, bats are one of the most diverse groups of mammals, achieving second place to the largest group, the rodents. Many people think of bats as flying rodents, but bats are really more closely related to primates. Although the familial diversity of bats is especially high in the tropics, only one group, the family Vespertilionidae, is known to occur in Idaho. It is likely that one additional species, Tadarida brasiliensis, the Mexican free-tailed bat, a member of the Family Molossidae, will be found in the extreme southwestern corner of Idaho as our collecting effort expands into less accessible habitats. A Idaho echolocation recording does exist for this species in that area. Additionally, I suspect that Lasiurus blossevillii, the Western red bat, a member of the family vespertilionidae may occur in Idaho. Fourteen species of vespertilionids are confirmed with museum voucher specimens. All Idaho bats feed on insects, two are obligate tree roosters and one appears to be restricted to cracks in desert canyons containing cliffs. The remaining species are found in multiple roost situations. Three distinct characteristics that separate Idaho bats from other Idaho mammals include the ability to fly, echolocate, and the rotation of the upper leg bones. Rotation places the knee joints on the opposite side of the leg. The leg position aids wing support and permits bats to hang upside down, a condition enhancing rapid flight from a resting state and enabling watchful vigilance if they are not hibernating. Some bats hibernate in Idaho during winter whereas others migrate to warmers regions. FAMILY VESPERTILIONIDAE The family Vespertilionidae contains more bat species than any other group. Vespertilionids demonstrate a diversity of roosting sites including buildings, especially attic areas, caves, mines, fractures in rock and hollowed locations or foliage roosts in trees. Fewer than 400 specimens of Idaho bats have been professionally prepared and deposited in natural history museums in the United States. Consequently, the distribution of each of the species is very poorly known. Many vespertilionids use abandoned or inactive mine sites, a condition that may gravely impact populations of individual species as old mine closures, now a national priority, increase. Closures are being mandated as a result of unstable and deteriorated conditions that endanger unsuspecting humans who do not understand their interest in exploring an old mine may lead to a tragic outcome.