Pinellas · Hillsborough · Pasco · FWC-Compliant Bat Exclusion
BAT REMOVAL & EXCLUSION
Bats are protected in Florida — killing or trapping them is illegal. The only legal fix is a proper exclusion: one-way devices that let the colony fly out and never back in, followed by permanent sealing. Sully's performs bat exclusions to FWC guidelines during the legal season, August 15 through April 15.
Florida's Bat Exclusion Season: Aug 15 – Apr 15
Florida Bat Exclusion Season
Legal exclusion window: August 15 – April 15. Maternity season: April 16 – August 14.
✓ Aug 15 – Apr 15 · Exclusion Legal
Bat exclusions can be performed. Pups are volant (flying on their own), so the whole colony can leave safely through one-way devices.
✗ Apr 16 – Aug 14 · Maternity Season
Installing exclusion devices is illegal without an FWC permit. Flightless pups left behind would be sealed in and die — and that's a violation, not just a bad outcome.
April 15 is the last day of the year to legally exclude bats from a building without a permit. If you have bat activity and it's already spring, call early — the calendar fills fast heading into the April 15 cutoff, and once maternity season starts you're waiting until August 15.
Bats Are Protected in Florida
It is illegal to kill or harm bats in Florida. Bats are protected under Florida Administrative Code rules 68A-4.001 (General Prohibitions) and 68A-9.010 (Taking Nuisance Wildlife). That means no poison, no fumigation, no glue boards, and no lethal trapping — for any bat, in any structure, at any time of year.
Exclusion is the only legal method, and it's also the only method that actually works. Bats are colony animals with strong roost fidelity: they return to the same attic year after year. Removing a handful of individuals accomplishes nothing if the openings stay open. Sealing the structure is the fix.
Watch Out For This
If a company offers to trap, poison, or "spray out" your bats — or offers to do an exclusion in June — they are offering to break Florida law on your property. Sully's follows FWC exclusion guidelines on every bat job, no exceptions.
What a Bat Roost Looks Like
A colony packed onto an attic rafter. Where you see one bat, there are usually dozens.
A grounded bat handled with protection. Never touch a bat barehanded — call us instead.
The Bats We See in Tampa Bay
Thirteen bat species are native to Florida. Only a few of them regularly roost in buildings, and those are the ones we deal with in Pinellas, Hillsborough, and Pasco:
Brazilian Free-Tailed Bat
By far the most common building rooster in Florida. Forms large colonies in attics, soffits, tile roofs, and barrel tile gaps.
Evening Bat
Small, common statewide, and a frequent attic and soffit occupant — often alongside free-tailed bats.
Southeastern Myotis
Roosts in structures, bridges, and culverts near water. Common in the wetter parts of the region.
Rafinesque's Big-Eared Bat & Tricolored Bat
Less common in homes but documented in Florida buildings. Both are species of conservation concern.
Florida is also home to the endangered Florida bonneted bat — the largest bat in the state and one of the rarest in the world. Correct species identification matters, which is why every bat job starts with an inspection rather than a quote over the phone.
Worth saying plainly: bats are good for you. A single colony eats enormous quantities of mosquitoes, beetles, and agricultural pests every night. The goal is never to hurt them — it's to get them out of your structure and keep them out.
Why Bats in the Attic Are a Problem
Health — The Honest Version
Rabies in Florida bats is rare — roughly one in a few hundred — but it is real, and it's the reason you should never handle a bat with bare hands. If a person or pet has direct contact with a bat, contact your county health department right away and try to keep the bat contained for testing. Histoplasmosis, a fungus associated with guano-enriched soil, is another reason we treat guano cleanup as remediation work with proper PPE — though FWC notes cases traced to bats in Florida buildings have not been documented.
Found Bats During Maternity Season? Here's What We Do
Between April 16 and August 14 we can't legally seal the colony out — but we're not going to leave you sitting there either. Here's the interim plan:
Signs You Have Bats
- →Bats flying out from the roofline, soffit, or gable vent at dusk
- →Chirping, squeaking, or scratching in the attic or walls around sunset
- →A sharp ammonia odor from the attic or upstairs ceilings
- →Dark, crumbly droppings (guano) piled below a gap, on a soffit, or on the ground
- →Brown grease or rub stains around a gap in the fascia, soffit, or roof tile
- →Small dark stains on exterior walls beneath an entry point
- →A bat found inside the living space — often a sign of a colony overhead
Our Process
Free Inspection & Roost Confirmation
We inspect the attic, roofline, and exterior to confirm bat activity, identify the species, and estimate colony size. Species and season determine what we can legally do next.
Entry Point Mapping
We identify every primary exit and every secondary gap. Bats can use openings well under an inch — missing one gap ruins the whole exclusion.
Pre-Sealing
All secondary gaps are sealed with commercial-grade materials while the active exits are left open, funneling the colony to the doors we control.
One-Way Exclusion Devices
Netting or tube-style devices are installed over active exits. Bats fly out to feed at dusk and cannot get back in. No trapping, no handling, no harm.
Minimum Four-Night Exclusion Window
Per FWC guidelines, devices stay up at least four consecutive nights with overnight lows forecast at 50°F or above, and without rain or high winds — conditions where bats actually leave to feed.
Permanent Sealing
Once the structure is confirmed empty, devices come down and every opening is sealed permanently. This is the step that ends the problem for good.
Guano Cleanup & Remediation
Guano removal, contaminated insulation removal, disinfecting, and deodorizing — performed with proper PPE. Quoted separately based on what the inspection finds.
Warranty Follow-Up
We come back and verify the seal held. Our exclusion work carries a 1-year warranty.
Frequently Asked Questions
Ready to Solve the Problem?
Call for a free on-site inspection. No pressure, no upsell — just honest answers and a clear quote.
📞 CALL (727) 422-4724