Bats in your house?
When can bats be safely removed from homes?
The Florida bonneted bat is a Federally endangered species that cannot be evicted from a home or building without a permit. If you suspect you have a colony of Florida bonneted bats, contact FBB@batcon.org.
If you have a colony of any type of bat other than Florida bonneted bats, you may be able to remove them from a building safely and humanely using the approved methods below. Unsure of what type of bat species is in your home, CLICK HERE
HIRING A PROFESSIONAL:
Should I Hire a Professional or Do it Myself?
Safely and permanently excluding bats from buildings requires patience and attention to detail. It can involve working high on ladders, scaffolding or even a hydraulic lift. Though detailed exclusion instructions are included here, many prefer to contact a bat management professional.
Bat Conservation International no longer maintains a list of BCI-approved bat exclusion professionals, but we do provide criteria for selecting a qualified professional.
BCI recommends that the company:
- Have verifiable bat exclusion experience (both the company and the individual)?
- Be licensed by the state and insured against any incidental damage that may occur?
- Have demonstrated knowledge and familiarity with local bat species (e.g., specific roosting preferences, behavior and seasonal activity, including maternity season date range for the species identified)?
- Provide at least three recent client references (with phone numbers) for similar projects?
- Offer a workmanship and materials guarantee for at least two years?
- Offer a written contract?
- Use BCI-approved materials and methods
Be wary:
- If they use scare tactics to convince you that your family is in danger from roosting bats and must act immediately?
- If they advise or use ineffective methods such as ultrasonic repellents (one study found that ultrasonic devices may even attract bats), or materials that degrade quickly like expandable foam, paper, steel wool or rags to close holes?
- If they advise or use illegal methods (in the U.S. and most European countries) such as chemical pesticides?
- If they agree to exclude bats during the maternity season.
The FPL Bat Lab at Zoo Miami is founded by:
“The importance of the partnership between Zoo Miami, NextEra, and BCI cannot be overstated. By combining their unique resources, they have created a role model for conservation efforts to better understand and protect this critically endangered species for future generations.”
Ron Magill