ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. — Now is the time to remove bats from your home or other structures, the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission advises in a new release.
FWC says the fall season is the right time to exclude bats, which allows them to be safely removed from a structure without reentry using the appropriate method and devices.
Exclusion or removing bats is not permitted during their maternity season, which runs from April 15 - Aug. 15. It is illegal in Florida to kill or harm bats.
While the state’s native bats typically roost in trees, caves or other natural spaces, they are also attracted to human-made structures, FWC says.
Bat exclusion is a multistep technique that identifies all potential bat entry and exit points in a building. FWC says exclusion devices must be left up for a minimum of four nights and the low temperature must be forecasted to remain above 50 degrees during that time.
Florida boasts 13 native bat species. All of the state’s bats are insectivores, with a single bat capable of eating hundreds of insects, such as mosquitoes or garden pests, in a single night.
The FWC gave these suggestions on how to aid Florida bat populations:
- Preserve natural roost sites, including trees with cavities or peeling bark.
- Leave dead palm fronds and Spanish moss, which can provide roosting spots for bats.
- Install a bat house on your property.
- Report unusual bat behavior, as well as sick or dead bats: MyFWC.com/BatMortality.
For more information on proper exclusion techniques and ways you can help bats in Florida thrive, click here.