sorry but - bat poo!

[littlemark]

Are you sure it's not mouse droppings HF? It seems an odd time of year for bat droppings to appear, and an odd roosting site too.

Mark

[Flummery]

They are generally in hibernation now. However, who knows what the mild weather is responsible for?

[unconcerned]

I swear by this stuff for my chile peppers. Honestly. I did an experiment last year. Three peppers of the same variety, had been growing at the same rate for eight weeks. Re-potted one with standard compost. One with standard compost and a spoonful of blood, fish, bone. And one with standard compost and a spoonful of bat guano. The bat guano plant grew at twice the rate of the next best which was the blood, fish, bone. Peppers love it! It looks like powdered tea and doesn't smell of anything. About £8 a kilo and that will last me two years. You literally need a couple of teaspoons per plant. If you are growing peppers then get some!

[Headfry]

Clues so far....
well, the 'poo' was found about October time and I had not been in the shed for a while.
Had another look at weekend, I really am not so sure now, It was only in one area on the floor of the shed, and did not look like mouse, on looking up into the eves of the shed I can see more of the same attached to the wood...confused, I cleared the floor a while ago and have had no more, I could not see any bats in the eves inside the shed. One of the window panes has slipped leaving about a 2-3" gap at the top of the window. It was sort of gritty looking stuff though I did not touch it. quite a lot of it too. ???????

[smallblueplanet]

I swear by this stuff for my chile peppers....You literally need a couple of teaspoons per plant. If you are growing peppers then get some!

Where did you buy yours from unconcerned, I'd hate to get sold mouse poo by a duff dealer!

[Flummery]

Headfry, if you found it in October it was probably because your shed was used as a day time roost. Poo up the walls is there because they 'empty out' before hanging up for the session. They often choose different places for nursery roost and hibernacula. So thery won't be there now. You can block up any hole you see. It only needs to be very tiny for them to get in.

[Headfry]

oh no....I love the bats, I just hope they come back (if it was bats)
I would like a few bat boxes, even though I have 'googled' it and I am still not sure where I should put them in respect to my property.

[unconcerned]

smallblueplanet I got it from Welcome to Green's Horticulture - Organic & Alternative Gardening Products as they are about the cheapest and yet I have bought from them a few times and they provide a great service. I think they have a shop in Bristol though they offer discounts for buying online.

Oh, and while you are buying bat 'stuff' from them. Get yourself a 45 litre bag of worm cast. That stuff is also like prozac for peppers. Again Greens Horticulture have about the best price I could find. Sorry if this is sounding like an advert for them - but I like to give praise where due.

[smallblueplanet]

Thanks unconcerned, we've got a wormery and so they produce worm poo/wee for us.

[littlemark]

I agree, it sounds like you had a Summer roost. Around forty bats roost in our gable apex every Summer, but only stay for 2-3 weeks then move on elsewhere. We saw plenty of bat activity throughout October this year, so it's likely your shed was a temporary roost before they settled into their Winter hibernation site.

Bats seem to use the same roost sites each year, so you can expect them back again this year if you leave the gap. Bats can crawl into the tiniest recess, and seem to prefer the entry point to be as small as possible. If you contact your local Bat Group, they will be interested to record the roost site, and should also send you some literature and advise on the siting of a bat box should you wish to install one.

We love Bats!

Mark

[Headfry]

Thanks Littlemark, I will do just that! you can never have too many bats!