Bat Removal Arlington, TX
The City of Arlington has its own bat guidance. It says bats are common across the city, explains how they get in, and warns against sealing them in during summer. Here's that guidance alongside the contacts and timing that apply to an Arlington home.
What Arlington's bat page says
The City of Arlington's urban wildlife page on bats is unusually detailed for a city site. Its main points:
- Bats are common throughout Arlington and can get into a building through a hole about the size of a dime.
- Sealing a building from May through August can trap young bats inside. The city recommends one-way exclusion devices so bats can leave but not come back.
- A bat on the ground usually can't take off again, so call Animal Services instead of picking it up.
- Eastern red bats roost in tree branches and usually move on by the next night.
The city's May-through-August warning is a little stricter than TPWD's statewide guidance, which discourages exclusion from May 1 to August 15. We follow the stricter one for Arlington homes.
Contacts and the 24-hour rule
Arlington Animal Services is at 1000 SE Green Oaks Blvd and answers 817-459-5898. For an after-hours emergency, the city directs residents to 911. Arlington's ordinance makes it an offense not to report a bite or scratch from an animal suspected of rabies within 24 hours, so call promptly after any bat contact. Arlington is in Tarrant County, where Tarrant County Public Health Epidemiology is the DSHS reporting contact, with a 24-hour line at (817) 321-5350.
Arlington's bats and buildings
Brazilian free-tailed bats are the most common attic and wall bat in north-central Texas. Big brown bats and evening bats also form building colonies in the area, according to Texas Tech's Mammals of Texas. Arlington's housing peaked in the 1980s. The median home was built in 1990, and only about 12% were built in 2010 or later. On many homes that age, original trim and roof vents have weathered. We find openings at gable vents, gaps where fascia boards have pulled back, and loose flashing at chimney chases. Some 47% of homes are rented, so tenants should tell the landlord in writing before anyone seals the building.
At Arlington Municipal Airport, average lows stay at or above 50°F only from April through October. The fall window runs from September, after the city's May–August pup season, until cold fronts arrive.
Arlington housing and climate snapshot
- Housing units: 158,894 (median year built 1990)
- Built before 1980: 26%; built 2010 or later: 12%
- Single-family detached: 57%; buildings with 10+ units: 19%
- Renter-occupied homes: 47%
- Average January low: 37°F; average August high: 96°F
- Months with an average low of 50°F or warmer: Apr–Oct
Housing figures: U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 2024 1-year estimates (tables B25024, B25034, B25035, B25003) via Census Reporter. Climate: NOAA 1991–2020 normals, Arlington Muni Ap station.
Common questions
How small an opening can bats use in Arlington?
The City of Arlington says bats can get into a building through a hole about the size of a dime.
Can I seal bats out of my Arlington house in summer?
The city warns that sealing from May through August can trap young bats. It recommends one-way exclusion devices after the young can fly.
Do I have to report a bat bite in Arlington?
Yes. City ordinance makes it an offense not to report a bite or scratch from an animal suspected of rabies within 24 hours. Call Animal Services at 817-459-5898, or 911 after hours.
There is a bat on the ground in my yard. Will it fly away?
Usually not. The city says a bat on the ground typically can't take off. Don't pick it up. Call Animal Services.
Is a red bat in my tree a problem?
Usually not. Arlington notes that eastern red bats roost in tree branches and usually leave by the next night. They don't form attic colonies.
Nearby city guides
Sources
- City of Arlington: bats (urban wildlife)
- Texas DSHS: Tarrant County disease reporting contacts
- Mammals of Texas (TTU NSRL): Brazilian free-tailed bat
- Mammals of Texas (TTU NSRL): big brown bat
- Mammals of Texas (TTU NSRL): evening bat
- Mammals of Texas (TTU NSRL): eastern red bat
- TPWD Outdoor Annual: nongame and other species (bats)
- Census Reporter: Arlington ACS 2024 profile
- NOAA NCEI 1991–2020 monthly normals (Arlington Muni Ap)
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