Species and Locations

White-nose Syndrome is a disease that is killing hibernating bats across much of North America.

The impact of this disease is unprecedented. Since bats are the primary predators of night-flying insects, we can expect to see significant ecosystem changes in the coming years. The little brown bat (Myotis lucifugus) was once the most common bat in North America; today, it is being considered for protection under the US Endangered Species Act. The northern long-eared bat (M. septentrionalis) has recently been listed as Threatened under the US Endangered Species Act, due to losses incurred from WNS.

More than half of the 47 species of bats that live in the U.S. hibernate in caves and mines to survive the winter. Four of these bats are federally endangered (Indiana, gray, Virginia and Ozark big-eared bats) and live within or near WNS-affected areas.

A total of ten species of bats have been diagnosed with the disease in North America. Seven additional species (†) have been found with the fungus, but have not yet developed the disease.

• Big brown bat (Eptesicus fuscus)

• Eastern small-footed myotis (Myotis leibii)

• Gray bat (Myotis grisescens)*endangered

• Little brown bat (Myotis lucifugus)

• Indiana bat (Myotis sodalis)*endangered

• Northern long-eared bat (Myotis septentrionalis ) *threatened

• Tri-colored bat (Perimyotis subflavus)

• Southeastern bat (Myotis austroriparius)

• Cave myotis (Myotis velifer)

• Yuma Bat (Myotis yumanensis)

• Silver-haired bat (Lasionycteris noctivagans)†

• Virginia big-eared bat (Corynorhinus townsendii virginianus)†

• Eastern red bat (Lasiurus borealis)†

• Rafinesque’s big-eared bat (Corynorhinus rafinesquii)†

• Ozark big-eared bat (Plecotus townsendii ingens)†

• Townsend's big-eared bat (Corynorhinus townsendii)†

• Western small-footed bat (Myotis ciliolabrum)†

• Mexican free-tailed bat (Tadarida brasiliensis)†

White-nose syndrome has been confirmed in bat hibernation sites in 33 states and 7 Canadian provinces: Alabama, Arkansas, Connecticut, Delaware, Georgia, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Kentucky, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, Nebraska, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, North Carolina, Ohio, Oklahoma, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, South Carolina, South Dakota, Tennessee, Vermont, Virginia, Washington, West Virginia, Wisconsin, Manitoba, Newfoundland and Labrador, New Brunswick, Nova Scotia, Ontario, Prince Edward Island and Quebec

In addition, the fungus that causes White-nose Syndrome, Pseudogymnoascus destructans, has been found in three additional states: Mississippi, South Dakota, and Texas.

view larger size

Further Reading

Duke Energy Foundation Awards $50,000 to Battle White-nose Syndrome in Bats

Published on Tuesday, 25 April 2017

The effort to save North America’s imperiled bats has received a boost. Duke Energy Found...

Read more...

White-nose Syndrome Fungus Detected in Central Texas

Volume: 37

Issue: 2

Article: 3

Published on Sunday, 24 June 2018

First detected in the Texas Panhandle in early 2017, the fungus that causes White-nose Syndrome (WNS), P. destructans, h...

Read more...

White-nose Syndrome - Memoirs from the Front Line

Volume: 35

Issue: 2

Article: 9

Published on Wednesday, 08 June 2016

Symptoms of White-nose Syndrome include white fuzzy growths of the Pseudogymnoascus destructans fungus as seen o...

Read more...

New Rule for Northern Long-eared Bat Fails to Address the Threat of White-Nose Syndrome

Published on Thursday, 14 January 2016

“Bat Conservation International is extremely disappointed in the final 4d rule for the northern long-eared bat”...

Read more...