Critter Control specializes in humane bat removal and prevention. There are six species of bats that are federally protected, and in Florida it is illegal to kill any bat.
Bat Identification
There are thirteen species of bats in Florida. The big brown bat and little brown bat are two of the most common species to roost in your attic.
Bats are the only flying mammal. They have fur on their torso and sometimes fur-covered heads. Bat wings do not have fur. Their pronounced wings are scalloped at the bottom and mimic the appearance of an old-fashioned umbrella's lower edge. These wings are hairless and protected by rubbery, leathery skin. Bats come in several colors, including black, brown, red, tan, and gray. In general, they have short snouts, large ears like a rodent, and fur-covered torsos. The smallest bats are roughly three inches long with an eight-inch wing span, while the largest may reach seven inches long with a wingspan two feet across.
Bat Control in Fort Lauderdale
The most effective and humane way to remove bats is by utilizing a bat valve in conjunction with a full home exclusion. A bat valve is like a one-way door. It allows for bats to exit your home but not re-enter. Since each bat removal is unique, our specialist will use or create a bat valve specifically for your home. Our inspector will determine the proper amount of bat valves to be used, but most removals only require one bat valve.
Bat Exterminator in Fort Lauderdale
It is illegal to kill bats in Florida.
Florida Administrative Code rule 68A-4.001 on General Prohibitions and 68A-9.010 on Taking Nuisance Wildlife says it is illegal to kill any bat. In addition, you can’t take, transport, store, buy, sell, or possess a bat at any time. Bats have additional protections during the maternity season. They cannot be harassed or encouraged to leave their roost in any way. In Florida, bats cannot be taken as nuisance wildlife, even if they are causing a nuisance.
Why Is It Illegal to Kill a Bat in Your Home?
In Florida, all bats are insectivores. They eat over a thousand insects every night. Can you imagine how many insects there would be on the planet if it weren’t for bats? We would be overwhelmed. For this reason, bats are essential for the survival of our ecosystem.
Bats are also excellent pollinators for bananas, cloves, and peaches. They are the only pollinator for agave, which has many uses, including making tequila. Bat species that eat fruits aid in seed dispersal and the continued growth of fruit plants.
Recognizing their importance, state and federal governments place protections on bats, making it illegal to kill them. That’s not the only reason bats are protected. A few more include the following:
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Bats do not reproduce as quickly as other wildlife. The females typically give birth to one or two pups a year. Slow reproduction puts the species at risk for population decline.
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Bats are killed by humans who do not understand their importance and likely do not know about the laws protecting the species.
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Wind turbines kill hundreds of thousands of migrating bats around the world.
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Pesticides used by farmers reduce the number of bugs available for bats to eat.
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Disturbances during hibernation cause bats to use up stored fat too soon, leaving them without a food source for the rest of the winter.
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White-nose syndrome is a fungal disease that spreads through bat colonies and has almost eliminated the Northern long-eared, little brown, and tri-colored bats.
Testimonials
This company has been great. The technician Kensi was very through and checked everywhere to make sure all access points were found. After a skunk was found in the trap on a Saturday morning they came to pick it up very quickly.
Michael was super friendly and knowledgeable. He checked my entire house and recommended and installed the solution within an hour.
We are under contract with your company and so far they are doing a fine job. Many thanks.
Excellent work environment full of presence of God. Professional and dedicated staff. A good place if you want to have your children in a place where Christian values are protected and encouraged.
Great company and amazing service, the staff is extremely knowledgeable and friendly! Thank you to the staff and especially to Bubba for taking care of my property and giving it that "personal touch" to rid and maintain it from pests and bugs! Appreciate you guys and look forward to continuing business together!
Thank you!
So when I went to have my insulation replaced I figured out that I had a critter problem that was beyond anything I was aware of. Not wanting to waste time I decided to call a professional and these guys were really good from day one. From the gentleman who gave the estimate to both of the guys that came out and did the work there was great communication and they were very effective at what they did. One little thing got missed and all it took was one text message and somebody was out the next day to take care of it. They always text me when they're on their way or going to be at the house and they let me know what they found along with photographs. My first thought when they gave me the quote was wow that was a lot of money and I didn't want to spend that much and now that I've had them do the service I feel like it's worth every penny and it's actually pretty damn reasonable considering the number of times that they come out and all the things that they do take care of.
I had an issue with squirrels getting into a small section of roofing without access from the attic or inside of the home. Critter control was a huge help in solving the issue, especially thanks to Brandon and Nate. Ended up catching 3 squirrels living in the roof plus they seal the entrance point after all is said and done. I would absolutely recommend critter control, Brandon and Nate did a stellar job.
Dominick was very friendly and he consistently put on his shoe covers each time he entered the house. He looked over every inch of the storage room where we thought the animal was and did a walk around the yard to see if there was evidence of entry. He was very thorough. He did not find any animal at that time. He said he would leave a trap and review the outside area of the house over the next week. It was the next day that the smell in our storage room indicated that the animal had died. We followed the small and discovered a dead bird in an open storage bin. I would highly recommend Dominick for 'Critter Control'.
Thank you,
Valerie
Great explanations regarding findings, friendly, quality work! Each encounter with their tech has been professional and educational.
your representative (Dominic) was very friendly and quickly removed the dying raccoon from our outdoor window-well. He also shared information with us regarding raccoons on their behavior, what they liked/disliked, and provided information on how to disinfect the area the raccoon had been trapped in for a couple of days. I'd rate him 9 stars if I could. -pja