This species is found in a variety of habitats, ranging from juniper and riparian woodlands to thorn scrubs and desert regions near open water (Ceballos and Oliva 2005, Braun et al. 2015). One is almost guaranteed to find this species wherever there are rivers, streams, ponds, lakes, etc. In fact, it is more closely associated with water than any other North American species of bat (Barbour and Davis 1969).  It is generally considered to be an inhabitant of lower elevations and riparian situations, often in otherwise arid country, but usually associated with relatively large bodies of permanent water (Braun et al. 2015). When not near water over which to forage, these animals can be found in the thousands roosting in caves, attics, abandoned buildings, mines, underneath bridges, and other similar structures. Little is known about the migration of this species. However, it has been recorded in Texas as well as in its normal range during the winter season (Allen 1994). This bat is a very efficient insectivorous feeder that begins foraging at dusk and usually finishes two hours after sunset (Barbour and Davis 1969), this species is considered a 'trawler' (an aerial feeder) by its flight and morphometric characteristics (Fenton and Bogdanowicz 2002). Its diet includes beetles and soft-bodied insects such as flies, termites, moths, and mayflies (Braun et al. 2015).

Myotis yumanensis occurs in North America as far north as British Columbia, Canada southward through the western United States (Washington, Oregon, Idaho, Utah, Colorado, Nevada, California, New Mexico, and Arizona) and eastward to Montana, Oklahoma, and Texas, reaching as far south as Hidalgo, Morelos, and Michoacán, México (Simmons 2005, Braun et al. 2015).

Overall, the species appears to be subject to ongoing slow reduction of available roost sites, localized detrimental effects of roost disturbance by humans, and degradation of foraging habitats. At the moment, it has not been listed in any conservation measure by the Mexican Government (Ceballos and Oliva 2005). The species occurs in several protected areas through its geographic distribution.