Faecal pellets were collected under one maternity colony of each of E. serotinus (E.s.) and E. nilssonii (E.n.). The distance between the colonies was 83 km. In total, 325 pellets (13 samples) of E.s. and 150 pellets (6 samples) of E.n. were analysed. Nematoceran Diptera, mainly Chironomidae, were the most frequent food items in both species. Coleoptera, Lepidoptera, Heteroptera (Corixidae, Lygaeidae) and Hym enoptera (Formicoidea, Ichneumonidae) were common in E.s., Lepidoptera, Heteroptera (Miridae), Aphidomorpha, Psyllomorpha and brachyceran Diptera were common in E.n. If the samples of the two species are adjusted to the same time (16 June – 15 August), the prevalence of Coleoptera and Hymenoptera in E.s. and Heteroptera and Lepidoptera in E.n. are highly significant (p E.s. is less significant (p jk) fluctuated between 6 % and 80 % with an average of 69 %. Prey diversity (H’), evenness (J’), measure of niche breadth (B) and the representation of four major insect groups varied seasonally and in the two species independently of each other. Both species prefer aerial hawking and hunt for swarming insects if available. Comparison with data of other authors revealed regional differences in foraging and diet within each of the species studied.
Between 1958-2000, 3,148 records of hibernating bats were made in a natural limestone cave, 92 % of them concerning Rhinolophus hipposideros. Other species included Myotis myotis, M. mystacinus, M. brandtii, M. emarginatus, M. nattereri, M. daubentonii, Plecotus auritus, P. austriacus and Myotis blythii (which was not recorded after 1973). The abundance of R. hipposideros (and of all bats combined) decreased between 1958-1963, probably due to the impact of mark-recapture work, and between 1970-1974 due to the devastation of the cave. After the cave was put under protection and the marking of bats was stopped, the hibernating assemblage recovered so that, between 1984-2000, numbers of bats showed significant increases resulting in numbers more than twice those at the beginning of the monitoring period. Between 1991-2000, 517 bats were netted and banded from spring until autumn in front of the cave. Nettings of species not found in winter (Myotis bechsteinii, Eptesicus serotinus, Vespertilio murinus, Nyctalus noctula and Barbastella barbastellus) increased the total number of species to 15. In N. noctula and V. murinus echolocation signals were also detected and, in the latter a display flight with mating calls was recorded. Samples of netted bats were compared with samples of bats observed in the same winter, and significant differences were found in species composition, diversity and in the dominance values of individual species. It is suggested that considerable numbers of bats other than R. hipposideros occur at the locality in winter, but have remained undetected due to their hidden hibernation. We analysed 1,038 individuals marked at Turold and 237 recaptured, plus 10 of bats marked elsewhere and recaptured at Turold. The longest movement recorded (66 km) was in a female M. blythii, the highest age (19.5 years) was in a male R. hipposideros.
A male Myotis alcathoe was identified morphologically among 119 road traffic casualties sampled in 2007 in southern Moravia (Czech Republic). Two additional male M. alcathoe were found among six carcasses collected in 1999 on roads in northern Moravia. Identification of all three specimens was confirmed by sequencing of mtDNA. The first photo of a M. alcathoe mandible is presented. The species, described in 2001, has actually been known from 12 localities within the Czech Republic.
Silniční doprava ovlivňuje rostlinná a živočišná společenstva během výstavby i po uvedení do provozu. Netopýři se objevují ve studiích vlivu silničního provozu na mortalitu obratlovců zřídka. Příspěvek je zaměřen nejen na konkrétní doklady úhynu netopýrů po srážce s vozidly, ale také na letovou a loveckou aktivitu netopýrů podél silnice a v jejím okolí. and Plant and animal communities are affected both by road construction and road traffic. In studies of road traffic effect on mortality of vertebrates bats have only rarely been mentioned. The article presents both evidence of bat mortality after collision with cars and information on flying and hunting bat activity along roads, as well as in their vicinity.