It is mostly distributed across European countries bordering the
Mediterranean Sea, from
Spain west to
Austria, north to
Switzerland, and south to most of the
Italian Peninsula. Populations of similar bats in southern
Italy and
Sicily display significant genetic divergence from
M. crypticus, and thus may represent a unique taxonomic entity that requires more study. It is found in a wide range of altitudes, from sea level to 1000 meters above. It feeds in forest and grassland habitats and roosts in tree hollows as well as man-made structures. In autumn,
M. crypticus swarms with other
Myotis in large numbers, and
overwinters with them in underground sites such as crevices. == Food ==