Autumn is the ideal time to exclude bats from buildings

Autumn is the ideal time to exclude bats from buildings The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) is sharing the reminder that if you have bats roosting in your home or other buildings, the fall season is an ideal time to exclude them. Florida’s native and beneficial bat species typically roost in trees, caves or other natural spaces, but can also be attracted to human-made structures. Bats are protected in Florida and exclusion devices – which allow bats to safely exit structures while preventing reentry – are the only legal and appropriate method to remove them. Exclusion devices can be used without a permit from Aug. 15 through April 15 each year, which is outside of bat maternity season (when most of Florida’s bats give birth and raise their young). Autumn is one of the best times for bat-proofing your home, after maternity season has ended and bat pups are no longer present. It is illegal to harm or kill bats in Florida and it is illegal to block bats from their roosts during maternity season to prevent flightless young from being trapped inside structures.   Exclusion guidelines were developed to prevent harm to bats while still allowing for safe and effective removal from buildings outside of the maternity season. Bat exclusion is a multi-step technique, which begins by identifying potential bat entry and exit points in a building. To legally exclude bats, exclusion devices must be left up for a minimum of four nights and must be conducted when the overnight temperature is forecast to be 50ºF or above. For more information about how to properly exclude bats as well as other tips to bat-proof your home, visit MyFWC.com/Bats and click “Bats in Buildings.” Bats are both ecologically and economically beneficial. They serve critical functions worldwide due to their roles in insect pest control, and as pollinators and seed dispersers. All of Florida’s bats are insectivores, and a single bat can eat hundreds of insects, including mosquitoes and other garden and agricultural pests, each night. Florida is home to 13 resident bat species, including imperiled species such as the Florida bonneted bat. While bats benefit people, they need our help! Become part of Florida’s Bat Force by supporting bat conservation in several ways: Be a bat host by preserving natural roost sites, including dead fronds left on palm trees and trees with Spanish moss, cavities and peeling bark. Install a bat house on your property as an alternative roosting spot. Be a bat champion and get involved in participatory science by counting and reporting numbers of bats emerging from bat houses to the Florida Bat Working Group. Be a bat supporter – join us in sharing why bats are important with your friends, family and neighbors. Visit MyFWC.com/Bats and click on “How to Help Bats page” for more details. Report unusual bat behavior, as well as sick or dead bats: MyFWC.com/BatMortality. Learn more about bats in Florida and ways you can help them thrive by visiting MyFWC.com/Bats.

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