The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) is urging residents to prepare for the upcoming bat maternity season, which runs from April 16 to August 14. During this period, most of Florida’s native bats give birth and raise their young. The FWC advises checking homes and buildings for roosting bats before the season begins.
Florida law prohibits harming or killing bats, leading to the development of exclusion guidelines to safely remove them from buildings outside the maternity season. Exclusion devices allow bats to exit without re-entry and must be installed on key exit points for at least four nights when temperatures are forecasted above 50ºF.
Bats play a crucial role in pest control, saving farmers billions of dollars annually. They also contribute as pollinators and seed dispersers. In Florida, all native bats are insectivores, consuming hundreds of insects each night.
The state’s bat populations include endangered species like the Florida bonneted bat. Residents can support these populations by preserving natural roost sites, leaving dead fronds on palm trees for roosting spots, adding native plants to attract pollinators, installing bat houses, reporting unusual behavior or sick bats to MyFWC.com/BatMortality, and volunteering with the Florida Bat Force.
For more information on excluding bats and tips for bat-proofing homes, visit MyFWC.com/Bats or contact an FWC Regional Office for assistance from a wildlife biologist.
