Information About Bat Control Florida Homeowners Will Find Useful

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By April Briggs


There are several ways that homeowners may first realize that they are sharing their living space with bats. These flying rodents may leave droppings about, dark stains at their points of entry, and often make noises that alert humans to their presence. When faced with problems calling for bat control Florida homeowners need to consult qualified experts who can safely exclude these creatures and prevent their re-entry.

There are 19 species of bats which are known to live in the state of Florida, and may consequently make themselves at home in the attics, roofs, and chimneys of houses. Territorial by nature it can be somewhat tricky even for experienced technicians to safely remove a bat colony from a home, so it should not be attempted by just anyone.

In order to successfully relocate a bat colony from a customer's home, most services will conduct two inspections. The first will be done as darkness falls, to monitor the bats leaving the building for feeding and assess how many there are. The next inspection will be done in the daytime as the bats sleep for the purpose of identifying all points of access, roosting areas, and the species of bat. The company will then develop a plan for exclusion.

At the time of the first inspection or shortly thereafter, the exclusion team will pre-seal any spots they notice which could easily become entry points in the future, and then safely remove all bats present by way of an exclusion technique that allows the bats to leave through a structure of polycarbonate netting, but not re-enter the dwelling. After about 5 to 7 days, when all bats are safely out, it will be removed.

The subsequent inspection will be performed to do a final assessment of the building to look for any possibly overlooked potential points of entry, and to also evaluate the success of the exclusion. A warranty should be provided to the homeowner which covers all materials and workmanship for about two years.

Bat control experts always use the necessary safety equipment when conducting an exclusion which is important considering the potential health risks associated with an infestation of these rodents. They may carry rabies without clearly manifested signs, and the dangerous Histoplasma capsulatum fungi has been known to grow on their accumulated droppings, which has been linked to the development of lung disease.

The state of Florida has declared bats to be a protected species due to the positive effect they have on the environment by the high volume of troublesome insects they ingest on a nightly basis. This means that killing or harming bats is against the law, as is the use of poisons, except for the generally ineffective napthalene (mothballs), which really does little to repel bats anyways.

Mother bats give birth to their babies between mid-April and mid-August, and given the protected status of these creatures, exclusions cannot be done at this time. People who are troubled by bats during nesting season should use this time to ensure that the bats' access to other parts of their home is prevented. Once this season has finished, the exclusion team can do their work.




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