Bats are beneficial wildlife, but they don’t belong in your attic, soffits, or walls. At Forest Pest Control, we provide humane bat exclusion that follows Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission requirements.
Our process starts with a thorough inspection, followed by exclusion sealing and the installation of a one-way bat valve at active exit points. After the required exclusion period, we follow up to confirm the bats are gone, complete final sealing, and sanitize affected areas as needed.
Why Bats Choose Your Home
Central Florida attics, soffits, and roof cavities offer bats exactly what they need: warmth, darkness, and protection from weather and predators.
Bats can enter through gaps as small as ⅜ of an inch around rooflines, vents, flashing, fascia, and soffits. Once a roost is established, bats may continue returning unless entry points are properly identified and excluded.
Common Signs of Bats in Your Home
- Bats entering or exiting around dusk
- Squeaking, rustling, or scratching sounds in the attic or walls
- Dark staining around an opening
- Musty odors
- Accumulations of guano (bat droppings)
Important: Florida bats are protected wildlife. Killing or harming them is prohibited. The lawful method for removing bats from a structure is exclusion using approved one-way devices.
Our Bat Exclusion Process
Forest Pest Control follows a clear, humane process designed to protect both your home and the bats.
1. Inspection
We thoroughly inspect the structure to identify active and potential entry points, confirm bat activity, and assess the scope of the roost.
This allows us to determine where bats are entering and identify secondary openings that need to be sealed before the exclusion process is completed.
2. Exclusion Sealing and One-Way Bat Valve
We seal secondary openings and potential re-entry points while keeping the bats’ active exit points available for exclusion.
A one-way bat valve is then installed over the active exit. This allows bats to leave the structure to feed at night while preventing them from re-entering.
The exclusion device remains in place for at least four nights, and longer when conditions require, to allow the bats time to leave safely.
Bat exclusion is performed only during Florida’s legal exclusion period, generally August 15 through April 15, and when overnight temperatures are forecast to remain at or above 50°F.
3. Follow-Up, Final Sealing, and Sanitizing
After the required exclusion period, we follow up to confirm the bats have exited the structure.
The one-way device is then removed, the remaining active opening is permanently sealed, and affected areas can be sanitized as needed.
Bat activity can leave behind guano, urine, and other contamination. When cleanup is necessary, these materials should be handled with appropriate precautions because disturbing accumulated bat droppings can increase exposure risk to Histoplasma, the fungus that causes histoplasmosis.
Legal and Seasonal Requirements in Florida
Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission rules protect bats. Key requirements include:
- Bat maternity season generally runs from April 16 through August 14.
- Bat exclusion is generally prohibited during maternity season without a special permit.
- The legal exclusion period generally runs from August 15 through April 15.
- One-way exclusion devices must remain in place for at least four nights.
- Overnight temperatures should be forecast to remain at or above 50°F while exclusion devices are in use.
- Bats should not be trapped, relocated, or harmed.
"*" indicates required fields
- No obligation. We'll use this information only to follow up about your request.
Why Choose Forest Pest Control for Bat Exclusion
- Humane and legal – We use approved exclusion methods that allow bats to leave safely.
- Complete process – Inspection, exclusion sealing, one-way devices, follow-up, final sealing, and sanitizing when needed.
- Local expertise – Family-owned with decades of combined experience serving Central Florida.
- Associate Certified Entomologist on staff.
- Promise to Protect – We stand behind our exclusion work.
Bat Exclusion FAQs
Are bats protected in Florida?
Yes. Florida bats are protected wildlife. Killing or harming them is prohibited. The lawful method for removing bats from a structure is exclusion using a one-way device.
When can bats be excluded?
Generally from August 15 through April 15. Exclusion during bat maternity season, April 16 through August 14, is generally prohibited without a permit.
How long does the one-way valve stay up?
The exclusion device must remain in place for at least four nights and may remain longer when needed to confirm all bats have exited.
Do you sanitize after the bats leave?
Yes. After confirming the bats are gone and completing the final sealing, Forest Pest Control can sanitize affected areas as needed to address guano, urine, odors, and other contamination associated with bat activity.
Will the bats come back?
Proper exclusion and permanent sealing of entry points greatly reduce the chance of bats returning to the structure. Forest also offers follow-up options for continued protection.
Get Bats Out the Right Way
Don’t wait for the problem to grow. Forest Pest Control provides professional, humane bat exclusion for homes and businesses across Central Florida.
Our team can inspect the structure, identify entry points, complete the exclusion process, and help protect your home from future bat activity.
Back to Nuisance Wildlife Management