Critter Control specializes in humane bat removal and prevention. There are six species of bats that are federally protected, and in Florida it is illegal to kill any bat. 

How to Identify a Bat Problem in Ft. Lauderdale

There are thirteen species of bats in Florida. The big brown bat and little brown bat are two of the most common species to roost in your attic. 

• Guano. Otherwise known as bat droppings, guano will collect on your deck, windowsills, or attic floor.
• Bat noises: You’ll hear bats chirping and squeaking and scratching or rustling sounds at night or in the early morning
• Stains. Bat fur is greasy, and any small areas they’re using to enter your home will become stained, appearing black and shiny.
• Strange odors. Like many wildlife pests, bats stink, and the larger the infestation, the worse the smell. You’ll smell an ammonia-like odor from their urine.

Bats are the only flying mammals. They have fur on their torso and sometimes fur-covered heads. Bat wings do not have fur. Their pronounced wings are scalloped at the bottom and mimic the appearance of an old-fashioned umbrella’s lower edge. These wings are hairless and protected by rubbery, leathery skin. Bats come in several colors, including black, brown, red, tan, and gray. In general, they have short snouts, large ears like a rodent, and fur-covered torsos. The smallest bats are roughly three inches long with an eight-inch wingspan, while the largest may reach seven inches long with a wingspan two feet across.

Bat Removal in Fort Lauderdale

The most effective and humane way to remove bats is by utilizing a bat valve in conjunction with a full home exclusion. A bat valve is like a one-way door. It allows bats to exit your home but not re-enter. Since each bat removal is unique, our specialist will use or create a bat valve specifically for your home. Our inspector will determine the proper amount of bat valves to be used, but most removals only require one bat valve.

When Can You Bat Removal in Fort Lauderdale?

Bat maternity season official starts in mid-April in Florida. You cannot legally peform bat removal from mid-April to mid-August.

You will see bats flying out of an attic or from roof overhangs at twilight in late spring and summer. These colony roosts are frequently near areas prone to insect swarms such as fields, ponds, or neighborhoods.

If you need bat removal we can start at any time. If bats with pups are in your attic, we can add netting to protect your attic and identify entry points. Once the juveniles can fly, we can safely complete the bat removal and exclusion process.

Bat Problems in Your Attic

One of the biggest bat problems is the collection of bat droppings, also called guano. Bat guano can introduce health risks to you and your family and damage your attic.

Guano provides a hospitable environment for the fungal spores that cause Histoplasmosis, a respiratory ailment, to grow. When droppings accumulate, the spores become airborne and can be breathed in by residents. During bat removal, the Critter Control experts wear respirators to protect themselves.

Bat guano collects under the roost location. The longer an infestation, the larger the pile of bat droppings. They can contaminate your insulation and weaken your ceiling.

In rare cases, a bat can find itself in the living space of your home. It is exceedingly rare for bats to bite you, but it can be difficult to find a bat bite spot. Additionally, bats are known carriers of rabies. If someone has been in the same room with a bat, seeking medical attention or contacting the local health department is prudent.

Problems with Bats in Walls

In addition to creating noise, a bat in house walls may become stuck. This is especially common for young bats, which have not yet mastered flying. If left alone, trapped bats often starve and die in wall voids, attracting rodents, cockroaches, and other pests with the smell of decay.

How We Get Rid of Bats in Fort Lauderdale

Bat Exclusions and Prevention in Fort Lauderdale

Not only is bat exclusion the most effective way to get rid of bats roosting in your attic, but it is also the most humane and ethical bat control near you.

Exclusion tubes are one-way exits, allowing bats in the chimney to leave but not return. The process typically takes three to seven days to ensure all bats are out. After a final attic inspection, we remove the valve and seal the final exit point.

Once bats are gone, the professionals at Critter Control will remove any feces and apply sanitization agents to decontaminate the area. In extreme cases, we off full attic restorations and reinstall attic insulation.

Critter Control offers professional bat removal across the country. Where you live will determine when bat removal is possible. In colder climates, you cannot remove or disturb bats during hibernation. During the summer, you can evict bats once the pups can fly on their own.

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954-807-3620

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Bat Exterminator in Fort Lauderdale

It is illegal to kill bats in Florida. 

Florida Administrative Code rule 68A-4.001 on General Prohibitions and 68A-9.010 on Taking Nuisance Wildlife says it is illegal to kill any bat. In addition, you can’t take, transport, store, buy, sell, or possess a bat at any time. Bats have additional protections during the maternity season. They cannot be harassed or encouraged to leave their roost in any way. In Florida, bats cannot be taken as nuisance wildlife, even if they are causing a nuisance.

Why Is It Illegal to Kill a Bat in Your Home?

In Florida, all bats are insectivores. They eat over a thousand insects every night. Can you imagine how many insects there would be on the planet if it weren’t for bats? We would be overwhelmed. For this reason, bats are essential for the survival of our ecosystem.

Bats are also excellent pollinators for bananas, cloves, and peaches. They are the only pollinator for agave, which has many uses, including making tequila. Bat species that eat fruits aid in seed dispersal and the continued growth of fruit plants.

Recognizing their importance, state and federal governments place protections on bats, making it illegal to kill them. That’s not the only reason bats are protected. A few more include the following:

• Bats do not reproduce as quickly as other wildlife. The females typically give birth to one or two pups a year. Slow reproduction puts the species at risk for population decline.
• Bats are killed by humans who do not understand their importance and likely do not know about the laws protecting the species.
• Wind turbines kill hundreds of thousands of migrating bats around the world.
• Pesticides used by farmers reduce the number of bugs available for bats to eat.
• Disturbances during hibernation cause bats to use up stored fat too soon, leaving them without a food source for the rest of the winter.
• White-nose syndrome is a fungal disease that spreads through bat colonies and has almost eliminated the Northern long-eared, little brown, and tri-colored bats.