Cave Myotis (Myotis velifer) consume diverse prey items and provide important ecosystem services.

This article focuses on the dietary analysis of Myotis velifer (Cave Myotis) bats in the Chihuahuan Desert region of Texas using DNA metabarcoding of the cytochrome oxidase I (COI) mitochondrial gene. The study analyzed 66 fecal samples collected from March to October 2021, identifying 484 taxa across 11 insect orders, with Diptera (flies), Lepidoptera (moths), and Blattodea (cockroaches) being the most prevalent. Results revealed seasonal shifts in diet composition, including consumption of significant agricultural pest species, disease-vector mosquitoes (notably Culex tarsalis), and non-native insects, highlighting the bats' potential role in natural pest suppression and ecosystem health. The study also documented two insect orders (Blattodea and Odonata) in the diet of M. velifer not previously reported and emphasized the advantages and limitations of molecular methods for detailed dietary characterization in insectivorous bats.