April 15 is a very important day for Good News Pest Solutions – and may be for you too. Yes, it’s Tax Day – the first time since the pandemic that the filing deadline has actually fallen on the traditional IRS date. Don’t neglect your due diligence for the US government.

But it’s also important to us because April 15 is the beginning of bat maternity season.

From April 15 to August 15, bats are protected. We already can’t – and don’t want to – kill bats. But during maternity season, we cannot even get close to them. Normally, if a home or business is having bat issues, we’d come in and do an “exclusion.” That’s the process of carefully and safely relocating bats.

But during maternity season, by Florida law, humans cannot touch or move bats. And we can’t block access to their chosen roosting places either – even if that’s in your own attic.

Holy Motherhood, Batman!

Florida has 13 native species of bats. Generally, they roost in trees, caves, and other natural hideaways. But occasionally, they will find their way into the eaves on your home, the attic or crawlspace of a house, and even squeeze into the soffit of an industrial building.

While bats do not build nests and most female bats only give birth to one bat pup per year, pregnant females of some species will gather together in nursery colonies. Once the mothers give birth, the pups begin to fly within 3 to 6 weeks.

That’s why Florida Fish and Wildlife cautions the public that young, still flightless bats could be trapped inside a home or other building if bats are excluded during maternity season.

Another danger – since mother bats tend to be overly sensitive during maternity season, they may abandon their young if they are disturbed.

Blundering Through the Belfry

When bats are about to enter maternity season, some of them experience a nesting instinct. Hence the nursery colonies. Since they don’t build nests, however, they’re especially fond of warm, dry, indoor spaces like lofts and attics.

While you may hear them – especially if it’s a large group – you’re more likely to smell them first. Each bat can drop 15-20 pellets of guano – bat poop – apiece. It builds up quickly, smells strongly of ammonia, and can cause damage to your drywall or structural beams.

While bats have many cultural fears surrounding them, they are actually very useful to have around. Bats’ favorite diet is mosquitoes. They will devour hundreds, if not thousands, of Florida’s least favorite insect in a day. Pregnant mother bats can eat three or four times that amount. That’s a lot more than get eliminated from insecticide spraying and safer for the environment and your family.

And it’s not just mosquitoes. Bats eat moths, beetles, crickets, leafhoppers, and other bugs. In fact, it’s estimated that bats provide at least $23 billion in agricultural and human health savings for the planet - Every year!

That smelly guano is also great fertilizer.

Bat Outta Homes

Despite their many benefits, we understand that most folks don’t want bats in their homes.

Climb up into the attic, especially if you have noticed ammonia odor when you were putting the Christmas decorations away. Look for piles of guano or signs that bats have been making entry. Since bats are largely nocturnal, you might even see some just hanging around as it were.

If you do spot them, or suspect you might have them, don’t delay. Call a professional. They’ll inspect the area and take the proper, lawful steps to eliminate the bats before maternity season starts. That usually involves installing exclusion devices and getting the bats to leave on their own. The bats can fly out but not reenter. They should also check for any other potential entry points.

Now is the time to check – you have 11 days remaining to have bats removed. For assistance with bats or to learn more about our attic protections, like our Thermal Acoustical Pest Control (T·A·P™) insulation that provides natural insect and rodent control, please give us a call!