New data on the distribution of barbastelle bat (Barbastella barbastellus) in Western Hungary

Acoustic bat surveys have been carried out between end of April and mid-September of 2013 in several Natura 2000 sites of Vas and Somogy counties. As a result occurrences of barbastelle bat (Barbastella barbastellus) were detected in 9 out of the 12 surveyed Natura 2000 sites. The species was recorded in various riverine and floodland forest communities, such as ash-alder forests, willow-poplar forests and oak-elm-ash forests, as well, as in lowland pedunculate oak-hornbeam woodlands. A total of 17 new UTM 10x10 km2 squares with barbastelle bat occurrence have been added to the 10 formerly known squares in Vas and Somogy counties. The results show a possible expansion of this species in lowland woodland areas, which requires appropriate guidelines for forest management in the affected sites