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Bat poop, known as guano, are droppings that the bats leave under their roost. It has played an important and interesting role in human history.
For centuries, bat poop has been used as a natural fertilizer by cultures all over the world.
What Does Bat Poop Look Like?
Bat droppings are small and dark in color. It differs from other rodent poop. The poop piles up and grows quite high once it is dropped from bats nestling high above. However, when found separately, they are long, thin pellets.
These elongated pellets are brittle and can turn to dust when touched.
It is typically the size of a seed. It’s about 1/2-inch-long and 1-3 centimeters thick. Bats tend to leave a lot of poop behind. However, this depends on the age and size of the bat.
If bat droppings are mushy and soft, it means that it is quite fresh. If you notice seed-like droppings that are small and oval-shaped, having no white end, you are most likely seeing bat poop.
Things to Know About Bat Poop
Accumulated bat droppings are known also as guano; the term originated from the Incan language. Bats are an important part of our ecosystem.
It can be used in a number of ways. Here are five interesting things that you must know about bat poop.
Bat Poop and Cave Ecosystem
Guano is vital to the ecosystem because it helps to disperse nutrients. Cave ecosystems, in specific, are entirely reliant on bats to provide nutrients through their guano. This supports fungi, bacteria, vertebrates, and invertebrates. It serves as the primary food supply for these organisms.
When bats are removed from a cave, organisms that rely on their guano may become extinct. With the presence of bat colonies, the fermentation of this biomass serves as a source of heat production within the caves.
Guano also helps to shape caves by causing erosion due to its high acidity. Guano disintegrates, releasing a stream of acidic fluids and gases which interact with the cave’s minerals, rocks, and sediments.
Bat Poop Can Be Used to Make Fertilizer
Bat poop is a suitable fertilizer for lawns and plants, making them green and healthy. It promotes the growth of strong stems in plants and green, fast growth for lawns. It also stimulates root growth and supports flowering. Furthermore, it assists in holding together loose soils and makes opaque soil lighter.
Bat poop has a high concentration of nutrients (Nitrogen-Phosphorous-Potassium (NPK)) in the ratio of 10:3:1. It can be used as a soil conditioner to nourish the soil, thus increasing permeability and texture.
Bat poop is also used as a natural fungicide and to control worms (nematodes) in the soil. Moreover, bat poop is used as a compost activator, hastening the decomposition process. Microbes found in bat poop have bioremediation abilities.
Bat guano’s NPK composition makes it suitable for a variety of plants. An easy way to apply this fertilizer is in tea form, which enables deep root feeding. It is simple to make bat poop tea. Soak the bat poop in water overnight, and then it is ready for use when watering the plants.
Bat Poop and Coffee
Coffee made from poop is also one of the costliest coffees globally.
Bat spit coffee originates from the Jamaican fruit bat, a species found in the forests of Central and South America. These bats eat coffee cherries, but due to their small size, they do not fully swallow the cherries.
Bats nibble the outside of tasty, ripe coffee cherries while they are on the plant. They rip the outer covering with their teeth and lick the inside pulp, that contains sugar. The bats leave the coffee cherry when they are finished and go looking for another. The fruit is now completely open and full of the bat’s digestive acid.
The half-eaten cherries contain the digestive fluids of the bats. Combined with the natural sunlight and warmth, the cherries are left to dry naturally. This is a natural coffee processing method. This entire process is what distinguishes this coffee from the rest. The reaction between bats’ digestive fluids and the external air produces a distinctively smooth flavor.
The highest-quality beans are eventually harvested and dried to create a one-of-a-kind coffee. This coffee is distinct in flavor and fruity. It is also mildly acidic, which enhances the floral flavor. It is sweet and smooth, with a pleasing aftertaste.
Use of Bat Poop During Wars
During the American Civil War in April 1861, the Confederacy lacked sufficient gunpowder to supply their soldiers. Furthermore, the blockade of Confederate ports by the Union troops hindered the import of gunpowder. Therefore, if the Confederates were to win the war, they had to acquire abundant indigenous gunpowder.
Bat caves were vital resources that provided the American army with materials for explosives and gunpowder. Guano or bat poop is primarily made up of potassium nitrate (saltpeter), which makes it an excellent ingredient for gunpowder. During the war, almost every important grey bat cave in the South was mined for its guano.
The Confederacy depended on these caverns as a source of saltpeter after supply lines were severed. This way, bat poop contributed to the Civil War’s extension. In fact, it was also used by the US military to make gunpowder during the War of 1812.
Bat Poop Has High Nitric Acid Content
Bats produce a lot of nitrogen-rich guano. This when blended with limestone deposits can generate fertilizer. However, only fruit-eating and insect-eating bat species produce such guano. In addition to fertilizer, bat poop aid plants in synthesizing amino acids.
Ammonium nitrate is made from ammonia and nitric acid. Because of its high nitrogen content, guano is an excellent fertilizer component. Plants absorb nitrogen in the form of ammonium and nitrate ions from the soil mixed with guano. These ions together with carbon-containing molecules produced during photosynthesis are needed to synthesize amino acids. Amino acids are the building blocks of proteins.
Conclusion
Bats are an integral part of our ecosystem. They play a vital role in different fields directly and indirectly by the production of the guano.
Bat guano contributes significantly to the cave systems. It helps to replenish the caves’ main organic resources and promotes the growth of other organisms such as fungi, bacteria, etc. Bat poop makes an excellent fertilizer. It is used as a soil conditioner, nourishing the soil and enhancing texture and drainage.
Bat poop has played an essential role in wars, as nitrates removed from guano were used to make gunpowder in the American civil war.
In case you are struggling with bats, read our guide on getting rid of them.
