Comparison of protein and mineral levels in aged vs. recent guano deposits by the insectivorous little brown bat (Myotis lucifugus)

Bat species worldwide comprise about one fourth of all mammal species identified to date. Many of the approximate 1000 species of bats are insectivorous, feeding on a variety of insect species, especially from aquatic environments, such as gnats, mayflies, midges, caddisflies, and mosquitoes as well as selected moths, beetles and wasps. The objective of this study is to determine the levels of crude protein, total minerals and lipids present in aged vs. recent guano deposits by the little brown bat, Myotis lucifugus. In an earlier study, the authors analyzed crude protein, total minerals and lipids present in guano collected from a local church steeple in 2006, representing deposits that had accumulated over many years. Analyses showed it contained 72.76% crude protein, 27.89% total minerals and 3.33% lipids, based upon 100% dry matter. The focus of the current investigation is to compare the consistency of those findings with more recent guano deposits collected in 2008 and 2009.