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.
Bat Identification
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.
Bats are the only flying mammal. 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 wing span, while the largest may reach seven inches long with a wingspan two feet across.
Bat Control 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 for 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.
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.