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Bats
Every bat native to Florida is a protected nongame species, and that one fact governs the whole job. The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission sets a maternity season from April 16 through August 14, and under Florida Administrative Code 68A-9.010 it is illegal to exclude a colony inside that window: the pups cannot fly yet, so sealing the building shuts them in to die while the adults are out feeding. Legal exclusion runs August 15 through April 15. FWC governs the method as well as the calendar. An exclusion device has to stay up for a minimum of four nights, and the work must be done when overnight temperatures are forecast to reach at least 50°F, so the colony can actually get out. Trapping or killing bats is prohibited in every month of the year. What the colony leaves behind is a separate problem: guano can host Histoplasma capsulatum, and the CDC identifies the resulting lung infection as a serious risk for immunocompromised people, which is why disturbed deposits come out under HEPA-filtered respirators instead of a broom. A company offering to spray, trap, or exclude your bats in June is offering something Florida does not permit.
That strong, unpleasant odor you're noticing is likely guano, another term for bat droppings, and a clear sign of a bat infestation. Bats are adept at squeezing into tight spaces, using these areas for daytime shelter before venturing out at night. Guano is often visible near their entry points on your home or building, and you may also detect the odor from a distance or observe bats exiting the structure at dusk. Bats form large colonies, compounding the problem.
Identifying bat entry points can be challenging, as they can fit through openings as small as ½ inch. Common bat habitats include attics, sheds, barns, chimneys, soffits, and various other building crevices. Bat guano poses a significant health hazard and can lead to costly damage if not addressed. Dr. Critter specializes in comprehensive bat removal services, including inspections, humane eviction, guano cleanup, entry point repair, and deodorization. If you suspect a bat problem, don't delay. Contact us for expert bat removal and guano cleanup services.
How do bats get into a Florida attic?
Through gaps you would not think twice about. A bat needs roughly three-eighths of an inch: a lifted roof tile, an unsealed ridge vent, the gap where fascia board meets the roof deck, or a construction joint at a gable end. They do not chew or claw their way in, so there is no torn-open entry to find. You find bats by watching the building at dusk rather than by hunting for damage.
What are the signs of a bat colony overhead?
Three give it away. Dark greasy staining around an entry gap, left by fur passing the same spot night after night. Guano accumulating below that gap or in the attic beneath the roost, crumbling to a glittery powder of insect wings. And a chittering, high squeaking that builds in the half hour before the colony emerges at dusk.
| Period | Colony status | Can exclusion be done? |
|---|---|---|
| Aug 15–Apr 15 | No dependent young; colony free-flying | Yes, this is the legal exclusion window |
| Apr 16–Aug 14 | Maternity season; flightless pups in the roost | No, prohibited under FAC 68A-9.010 |
| Late Aug–Oct | Young flying; colony at maximum size | Yes, and the best time to act |
| Nov–Feb | Reduced activity in cool spells; colony still resident | Yes, though emergence counts take longer |
Why can bats not be removed between April and August?
Florida Administrative Code 68A-9.010 prohibits bat exclusion from April 16 through August 14. During those months the roost holds flightless pups, and sealing the building shuts them in to die while the adults fly out. Every Florida bat species is protected, and killing them is illegal. If a company offers to exclude your bats in June, that is a rule violation and a reason to call someone else. April 15 is the last day a building can be cleared and August 15 the first day work can resume, both mapped out in our wildlife activity calendar.
How does bat exclusion work?
The colony is never trapped or handled. Every gap on the structure is sealed except the ones the bats use, and those get one-way devices that let a bat out and give it nowhere to re-enter. The colony empties itself over several nights. Once emergence counts confirm the roost is clear, the devices come off and the last openings are closed permanently.
How long does bat exclusion take?
Two to four weeks in most cases. Sealing and device installation take one to two days. The colony then needs five to ten nights to clear, longer in cool weather when bats fly less. Final sealing happens after that, and guano remediation and insulation replacement are scheduled once the roost is confirmed empty.
Most of that work lands in one place. Orlando has the old barrel-tile roofs and gable louvers Brazilian free-tailed bats favor, so bat exclusion in Orlando is the busiest version of this job we run, and that page covers the local timing around the August 15 reopening.
Dr. Critter has worked as a nuisance wildlife control operator in Central Florida since 1996 and is listed with the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission operator directory. Worth knowing, because most of this industry says otherwise: the FWC does not issue a trapper license, and no state license is required to remove nuisance wildlife from your home. What actually governs the work is rule, not paperwork. FWC rule 68A-9.010 decides what happens to an animal once it is caught alive: release on the property where it was trapped, transfer to a licensed facility, or humane euthanasia. Relocating it somewhere else is not on that list, whatever the operator tells you, and that rule binds every operator in Florida whether or not they are on any directory.
Bat Exclusion Service Areas
Dr. Critter handles bat exclusion across Central Florida. If bats are showing up at your property, pick your city for local response details:
For a full overview of how we handle bats, see our main humane wildlife removal service page, or browse every Dr. Critter service area.
Related Wildlife Services
Depending on what the bats situation involves, one of these specialized services may apply:
- Humane critter removal — trapping and relocation of live animals.
- Animal & wildlife proofing — structural exclusion to prevent re-entry.
- Attic restoration — insulation removal, sanitization, and reinsulation after wildlife contamination.
- Dead animal removal — locating and removing carcasses with odor and pathogen remediation.
- Critter waste cleaning — HEPA-vacuum and enzyme treatment of contaminated areas.
- Emergency wildlife removal — same-day response for aggressive, venomous, or trapped wildlife.
- Rodent removal — rat, mouse, and squirrel exclusion programs.
- Snake control — the Snake Shield program for snake-prone properties.
