Bats conjure up thoughts of Halloween, vampires, and witches’ brews. But did you know bats in Florida are a protected species?

Interestingly enough, the bat’s association to dark forces comes from Dante’s Inferno. In the first volume of The Divine Comedy, Alighieri described Satan’s wings as being very similar to that of a bat. In the 14th century, the flying rodent’s nocturnal comings and goings reinforced in their minds the evil these creatures must be connected to.

But the fact is, bats are hugely beneficial to humans and our environment. On the Gulf Coast of Florida, we have 13 species of bats we consider residents, and another 7 that wander through the sunshine state from time to time. Year-round, only two species are endangered – the Florida bonneted bat and the gray myotis.

It’s illegal to kill any bats in Florida, but from April 16- August 15, it’s even illegal to disturb them. Those dates frame bat maternity season. Moving the bats – what we call exclusion – is prohibited to protect the pups (baby bats), who can’t yet fly and their mothers.

Think of it like the red lights we employ on the beaches so baby sea turtles don’t come inland.

Natural Pest Control

While we are sure sea turtles have value in assisting the marine ecosystem, bats are even more important. As we’re about to slide into rainy season, the mosquitoes will be out in force. Now imagine how many bites you’d get if bats weren’t eating around a thousand mosquitoes a night.

Additionally, bats assist with seed dispersal and pollination. They’re also fantastic with insect control outside of mosquitoes. The big brown bat consumes a number of insect pests that cause damage to corn, soybean, cotton, and other crops in the Midwest. The Mexican free-tailed bat is popular with Texas farmers, as they eat cabbage loopers, tobacco budworms, corn earworms and cotton bollworms.

No studies have been done on how much of an economic impact bats have had in Florida. But just as an example, cotton growers in south-central Texas alone estimate they save $741,000 per year thanks to bats.

And, lest we forget, bat guano is a fantastic natural fertilizer. That’s probably one good reason the University of Florida houses the largest state bat colony with more than 300,000 inhabitants.

Doing Your Part

So, rather than running away in fear when you see a bat, politely thank it – from a distance – and then go about your day.

The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) has a few additional suggestions on how you can help protect the bat population. They ask that whenever possible you preserve natural roost sites. This includes trees with cavities or peeling bark. Leave dead palm fronds on trees, as they are a natural roosting spot.

If you really want to go all out, you can build or install a bat house on your property. And always report unusual bat behavior if you encounter sick or dead bats.

After August 15, if you need to have bats humanely removed from your property, reach out to a pest professional like us. Be extra careful if you’re finally being able to rebuild after our last few hurricane seasons, as bats might have been displaced to your property in new and unusual places.

Bats don’t often seek indoor shelter in Florida, but even when they do, they don’t eat roaches, spiders or silverfish. For those, you need to try a pest control expert – like Good News Pest Solutions. Our Go Green Perimeter Plus boots those bugs from your home and keeps them out – with treatments that are safe for your family and pets. For more details, please give us a call!