Both sexes are frosted white on the back and breast with a whitish patch on each shoulder. The red bat lives east of the Rockies, across southern Canada and most of the United States . During the summer it hangs among the leaves of trees near the edge of a forest or in wild hedges. It hangs 1.3 to 3 m above the ground in places that provide shade from the sides and above but are open on the bottom for a quick getaway. Females with young hang three to six m above the ground for added protection.
People often mistake red bats for leaves when they hang on their roosts.
When hunting, the red bat flies out early in the evening, often taking the same route each time. Throughout the night, it hunts for insects such as moths, beetles, plant hoppers, ants, and flies. It flies at speeds of up to 60 km per hour. It is one of the fastest bats in North America. Sometimes it lands on trees and bushes to pick off insects hidden there.