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The presence of Basilia mediterranea Hůrka, 1970, species with Western Mediterranean distribution, is reported for the first time from Italy. Two specimens, a male and a female, were collected from two bats belonging to the species Pipistrellus pipistrellus Schreber, 1774 captured with mist nets during a research on bats of Montecristo and Capraia islands (Tuscan Archipelago National Park, Central Italy).

First record of Saga pedo (Pallas, 1771) for Tuscany (Orthoptera: Tettigoniidae). The presence in Tuscany of the katydid Saga pedo (Pallas, 1771) is recorded for the first time. Saga pedo is considered a vulnerable species in the EU and it is included in Annex IV of Council Directive 92/43/EEC.

The routes followed by migratory bat populations occurring in Italy are practically unknown. We herewith report on the capture of a female Leiskler’s bat Nyctalus leisleri occurred in Poland, Wielkopolska province (Greater Poland), district Ostrzeszów, in a forest near the village of Jesiona. The specimen, caught on 5 August 2012, had been previously (23 September 2010) banded in Italy in the Nature State Reserve of Pian degli Ontani (Cutigliano, Pistoia Province, Italy, 44° 06’ 27" N, 10° 41’ 33" E; ring code WWF-ITALY C0524). The minimum straight distance between the two sites is ca. 960 km. This record is the first that proves the existence of migration in Italian populations of N. leisleri and shows that a long NE-SW migration route – one of the longest recorded in Europe by N. leisleri – is followed. The observation remarks once again the importance of a large-scale, trans-national planning of bat conservation.

A mating colony of Nyctalus leisleri has been monitored since 1994 through the periodic checking of 105 bat boxes set in a beech forest on the Apennines (Tuscany, central Italy). Both a general and a gender-specific trend was obtained from the monthly count of individuals. The general trend showed remarkable numerical fluctuations over the years, which were particularly evident in the number of females. The overall population showed a slight positive trend, which was significant for males. The abruptly fluctuating number of females observed throughout the years was worthy of notice. Such variations may find an explanation when more information on the continental migration patterns of the individuals recorded in this area become available.

Between 1994 and 2008, we studied the structure of harems in Nyctalus leisleri and factors that determine their size by monitoring 90 bat-boxes placed in a beech forest in the natural reserve Pian degli Ontani (Tuscany, northern Italy). The number of females in the harem positively correlated with the number of males defending a harem. The number of males in the mating area did not significantly influence harem size, whilst we found a significant correlation between the variance in harem size and mean harem size. This may be explained by the existence of an uneven aggregation favouring few males. A strong relation was found between males’ age (estimated by teeth wear) and mean harem size. Riassunto Dimensioni dell'harem e tattiche riproduttive dei maschi di Nyctalus leisleri (Kuhl, 1817) (Chiroptera, Vespertilionidae). Sono presentati i risultati di uno studio sulla struttura dell'harem in Nyctalus leisleri e sui fattori che ne determinano la dimensione. Tra il 1994 e il 2008, sono stati monitorati 90 rifugi artificiali (bat-box) per pipistrelli collocati in una faggeta della Riserva Statale di Pian degli Ontani (Pistoia, Toscana). Il numero di femmine presenti nel harem è risultato positivamente correlato con il numero di maschi presenti nell’area di accoppiamento. Il numero di maschi presenti non influenza la dimensione media dell'harem mentre una significativa correlazione positiva è stata evidenziata tra il valore della varianza delle dimensioni dell'harem e la sua dimensione media. Tale relazione suggerisce che le femmine tendono ad aggregarsi, favorendo i maschi più competitivi. Infine è stato evidenziato un modello generale dove sia i maschi giovani sia quelli ad età più avanzata (stimata in base all’usura dei denti) hanno minor capacità di formare harem con un numero elevato di femmine. doi:10.4404/hystrix-20.2-4445