The silver-haired bat has dark, blackish fur, with tips of silver guard hairs and a short and broad snout. This species is found most often in coniferous or mixed coniferous and deciduous forests, with a preference for Old Growth areas. Roosts are almost exclusively in tree cavities, hollows, or under loose bark. Hibernation sites include wood piles and cliff faces, with species occasionally hibernating in the entrances of caves. Primary prey for this bat includes small, soft-bodied insects, such as flies, midges, leafhoppers, moths, mosquitos, beetles, caddisflies, and sometimes spiders. Silver-haired females are known to produce twin pups (baby bats).