OCALA, FL (352today.com) – There are currently 13 different bat species in Florida that take shelter in trees, caves, or other natural spaces located throughout the Sunshine State.
In some cases, when looking for a place to call home, bats will swoop inside buildings under construction or attics and find cover, comfort and safety.
If you have any bats roosting in places you don’t want them, the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) says act fast. It’s illegal to get rid of bats during the maternity season which begins Tuesday, April 16 and lasts until Wednesday, Aug. 14.
The FWC says using exclusion devices to rid your home or business of bats during the maternity season is illegal unless you have a permit.
Lisa Thompson, Public Information Officer for the FWC, says exclusion devices allow bats to exit a building but not re-enter.
Thompson says it’s illegal to use exclusion devices during maternity season because they block bats from roosts and trap flightless baby bats inside which can lead to their death.
Thompson says killing or harming of bats is illegal in Florida because many are endangered like the Florida bonneted bat.
The FWC says bats are insectivores and play a critical role in our ecological system capable of eating up to hundreds of insects a night, including mosquitoes and other pests.
Bats are also pollinators and seed dispersers. Their guano or excrement is even used as plant fertilizer.
The FWC says there are a number of ways you can support bat conservation:
- Preserve natural roost sites, including trees with cavities or peeling bark
- Leave dead fronds on palm trees to provide roosting spots for bats
- Install a bat house on your property
- Report unusual bat behavior, as well as sick or dead bats here
For more information about how to properly exclude bats as well as other tips to restrict bats from your home, visit the FWC website.