Summer presence of Greater Noctule bat Nyctalus lasiopterus (Schreber 1780) in NW Italy (Chiroptera: Vespertilionidae)

The Greater Noctule is a threatened bat species characterized by a fragmented distribution and limited documented observations in Italy. During a census using ultrasound detectors, foraging Greater Noctules were identified in 2024 and 2025. Echolocation calls were recorded in Santena, Valdieri, and the Bosco dell’Alevè woodland in Val Varaita, NW Italy. The first localization in Alevè was made at 1,500 m a.s.l. on 30/07/2024. In the following year, sampling was performed across five sites in the surrounding area. The species was recorded again at the original site at 1,500 m on 11/07/2025, as well as at a new location at 1,900 m a.s.l. on 11/08/2025. The habitat in these areas is dominated by Arolla Pines Pinus cembra of uneven ages, featuring many ancient trees with numerous cavities or advanced decay. In Santena, localization occurred on 24/06/2024 at 240 m a.s.l. The habitat was characterized by a private garden in the periurban area, close to an ancient castle park with old trees. The observation of Valdieri occurred in autumn, on 14/10/2025 at 790 m a.s.l., in an area characterized by vertical rocky slopes within open arid grassland and broadleaf woods. The observations of Santena and Alevè represent the first verification of this rare bat’s occurrence during the summer reproductive season, and prompt further investigation regarding the regular presence of the species in NW Italy.

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