They\u2019re good for the environment \u2014 but many people are uncomfortable with their presence. They\u2019re bats, and for a few months, you won\u2019t be able to remove them from your home without a permit. With the arrival of maternity season, the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) is reminding residents of the rules.<\/p>\n
It can be an inconvenience for people, but the measure is meant to protect species during their maternity period. Although the season starts March 16, residents can remove bats without a permit through April 15.<\/p>\n
From April 16 through Aug. 15, anyone who wants to remove any of Florida\u2019s 13 native bat species using exclusion devices must have a permit.<\/p>\n
Protecting their young<\/p>\n
According to the state agency, the rules are intended to prevent flightless pups from being trapped when bats are blocked from returning to their roosts \u2014 a situation that can pose risks for both the animals and people. The FWC also reminds residents that it is illegal to injure or kill a bat.<\/p>\n
Florida officials say bats are highly beneficial animals. \u201cFlorida\u2019s bats are insectivores, with a single bat eating up to hundreds of insects a night, including mosquitoes and other garden and agricultural pests”, the FWC says.<\/p>\n
The agency adds that globally, bats help with \u201cpest control, and as pollinators and seed dispersers, and their guano can be a valuable fertilizer.\u201d<\/p>\n
Legal bat removal<\/p>\n
The FWC says the process of removing bats safely and effectively involves several steps, beginning with identifying entry and exit points. \u201cTo legally exclude bats, exclusion devices must be installed on key exit points, left up for a minimum of four nights and the exclusion must be conducted when the overnight temperature is forecasted to be 50\u00baF or above”, the agency said.<\/p>\n
Ways to protect bats<\/p>\n
Preserve natural roost sites, including trees with cavities or peeling bark.<\/p>\n
Leave dead fronds on palm trees to provide roosting spots for bats.<\/p>\n
Install a bat house on your property.<\/p>\n
Add native plants when landscaping your property to attract native pollinators and benefit bats.<\/p>\n
Do not bring equipment clothes, or shoes that have been in caves in other states in Florida’s caves.<\/p>\n