Data on the summer bat fauna of Belarus in 2017–2020

Abstract

This report presents the results of the bat fauna survey carried out in Belarus during the warm seasons between 2017 and 2020. The presented data were collected in 31 localities in all six administrative regions (voblasćs) of Belarus during field studies (mist-netting, searching for roosts and colonies, and acoustic surveys) and in the course of the work of the Minsk bat contact centre. Field data refer to 26 localities; acoustic observations to 14 localities; and netting was carried out in 19 localities (151 ind.). The data on bats collected via the contact centre came from 6 localities (35 ind.). In the course of our survey, we recorded 13 out of the 19 species of the Belarusian bat fauna. They are Barbastella barbastellus, Eptesicus nilssonii, E. serotinus, Myotis dasycneme, M. daubentonii, Nyctalus lasiopterus, N. leisleri, N. noctula, Pipistrellus kuhlii, P. nathusii, P. pygmaeus, Plecotus auritus, and V. murinus. The occurrence of all recorded species was confirmed by direct identification. Data on breeding have been added for all recorded species except for N. lasiopterus and B. barbastellus. Data on breeding have been added for all recorded species, except for N. lasiopterus and B. barbastellus. Maternity colonies were recorded for E. serotinus, M. dasycneme (the second record of a maternity colony of the species for the entire period of research in Belarus) and M. daubentonii. The largest number of individuals recorded by the contact centre represent V. murinus; other species in descending order are E. serotinus, N. noctula, P. auritus, P. nathusii, B. barbastellus, M. daubentonii, P. kuhlii, and E. nilssonii. Among the netted individuals, P. nathusii prevailed; other species in descending order were M. daubentonii, P. pygmaeus, E. nilssonii, P. auritus, N. noctula, E. serotinus, M. dasycneme, N. leisleri, and N. lasiopterus. Three species (V. murinus, B. barbastellus, and P. kuhlii) were presented only among bats reported via the contact centre. During the survey, the species P. pipistrellus, Pl. austriacus, M. brandtii, M. nattereri, M. myotis, and M. mystacinus included in the list of mammal species of Belarus were not recorded. The reasons of the lack of records of these six species are discussed. The collected data contribute to the general knowledge on the distribution, breeding, and status of bat species in Belarus and Eastern Europe.

Near or far: revision of distribution, breeding and winter ranges of two sibling Pipistrellus species (Chiroptera, Vespertilionidae) in Eastern Europe and the Caucasus

“…2012, 2016, Godlevska & Rebrov 2018, Shpak et al. 2022, L. Godlevska & P. Vorobei, unpublished data.…”

“…2018, Shpak et al. 2022). In Lithuania, breeding of the species was recorded in its southeastern part where maternity colonies occupied bat‐boxes (Baranauskas 2010).…”

“…In Belarus, breeding of Pipistrelus pygmaeus was reported in all administrative provinces of the country. Maternity colonies of the species were found in trees; one, in a house (Dietz et al 2018, Shpak et al 2022. In Lithuania, breeding of the species was recorded in its southeastern part where maternity colonies occupied bat-boxes (Baranauskas 2010).…”

“…data;Godlevska et al 2010Godlevska et al , 2022 data on Pipistrelus pygmaeus: Gazaryan 2010, own. data, Vlaschenko & Gukasova 2010, Sitnikova et al 2009, Godlevska et al 2016, Vlaschenko et al 2012, Godlevska & Rebrov 2018, Shpak et al 2022…”

THE DISTRIBUTION OF THE NORTHERN BAT EPTESICUS NILSSONII (KEYSERLING & BLASIUS, 1839) IN LATVIA ASSESSED BY PASSIVE ACOUSTIC SURVEY

“…It is mentioned as a common species over much of its range in Europe (Coroiu 2016). However, it is considered a rare species in neighbor countries such as Lithuania (Pauza et al 2002) and in Belarus (Shpak et al 2022, PÁtersons & Vintulis 1999. While the northern bat has been observed across most of Poland, the distribution is uneven, with the breeding populations restricted to eastern regions and mountainous areas (Sachanowicz et al 2006).…”