Officials: Now's The Time To Safely Remove Bats From Your Home, Before Nesting Season

MIAMI (CBSMiami) - Those odd, somewhat loud noises you hear at night may not necessarily be birds, frogs or insects. Wildlife officials remind residents that bat maternity season is almost here.

The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission is urging residents to check their homes and other buildings for roosting bats before maternity season starts.

Officials remind residents that while Florida's 13 native bat species typically roost in trees, caves or other natural spaces, sometimes they are attracted to human-made structures.

Did you know that April 15 is the last day to legally exclude bats from your home or building? It is also the official start of nesting season for Florida bats.

Bat maternity season runs through Aug. 14. and it is illegal to block bats from their

In case you were wondering, it is illegal in the Sunshine State to kill or harm bats.

Exclusion guidelines were developed to ensure bats are removed safely and effectively from buildings outside of maternity season.

Wildlife officials remind residents that bats are ecologically and economically beneficial, as bats serve an important role in insect pest control, as pollinators and seed dispersers, plus their waste can be a valuable fertilizer.

Contrary to what you may have learned from movies, Florida's bats are insectivores and a single bat can eat hundreds of insects, including mosquitoes and other garden and agricultural pests.

or more information about how to properly exclude bats as well as other tips to bat-proof your home, visit MyFWC.com/Bats