Despite their name, Indiana bats are found in more than 20 states. The species was first found in southern Indiana’s Wyandotte Caves where they live in close, social groups. During the winter, up to 500 bats can huddle for warmth underground within a single square foot. Their scientific name, Myotis sodalis, is actually Latin for “mouse ear companion.” While that companionship has helped Indiana bats survive for generations, it is now facilitating the spread of a deadly disease that is devastating their population.

First documented in 2006, white-nose syndrome spreads rapidly. It has killed millions of North American bats over the past decade. Named after a powdery white fungus that grows on the hairless parts of bats, white-nose syndrome spreads on surfaces and through bat-to-bat contact.

Photos provided by: Caroline Byrne, Bat Ecologist

“Bats spend a lot of time sleeping and really shut down when they hibernate in caves,” said Patrick Zollner, professor of quantitative ecology. During hibernation, bats lower their body temperature and metabolic rate, increasing their susceptibility to white-nose syndrome.

The fungus causes behavior changes in bats that make them more active than usual, burning the fat they need to survive and killing the vast majority of those infected.