Bat Removal College Station, TX

Who to call

• College Station Animal Control: a unit of the College Station Police Department, (979) 764-3600. The city lists bats among its "high risk" bite animals.
• On the Texas A&M campus: the university's 2019 bat-safety story says many bats live on campus and asks people to report bats in buildings to the Facilities Communications Center at 979-845-4311.
• Brazos County Health District: the DSHS disease-reporting contact for the county, (979) 361-5726, with Yao Akpalu listed.

What the city says about bat exclusion

College Station's animal-control page reprints Texas A&M AgriLife guidance on bats in buildings:

• Bats can fit through openings as small as 3/8 inch.
• One-way exclusion devices should stay up for 5 to 7 days before the openings are sealed.
• Exclusion works best in fall. Avoid May through August, when young bats can't fly.

That matches TPWD's guidance, which discourages exclusion from May 1 to August 15.

Brazos County testing

DSHS's 2024 county summary shows 21 Brazos County bats tested, with 1 positive for rabies. Most bats are healthy, but because bats are only submitted after possible exposures, any bat that touched someone should be kept for testing.

Student rentals

About 65% of College Station's occupied homes are rented, and only about 44% of units are detached houses. Duplexes and fourplexes often have shared attics, so bats move from one unit to the next. The housing is new, with a median year built of 2002, and only about 15% was built before 1980. In this housing, bats usually get in at roof-to-wall joints, gaps at attic-vent and gable trim, and openings around exhaust vents. Tenants should tell the owner or management company in writing. Owners should schedule exclusion between semesters if possible, because the August move-in rush falls during the pup season.

Timing

At Easterwood Field, average lows stay at 50°F or warmer from March through October, so College Station has a slightly longer season than cities farther north. The main window is mid-August through October. A shorter spring window runs from March into April.

College Station housing and climate snapshot (Easterwood Field climate)

• Housing units: 55,151 (median year built 2002)
• Built before 1980: 15%; built 2010 or later: 29%
• Single-family detached: 44%; buildings with 10+ units: 20%
• Renter-occupied homes: 65%
• Average January low: 41°F; average August high: 97°F
• Months with an average low of 50°F or warmer: Mar–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, College Stn Easterwood Fld station.

Common questions

Nearby city guides

• Bryan
• Huntsville
• Waco
• Temple
• Round Rock

Sources

1. City of College Station: Animal Control
2. Texas A&M Today: bat safety tips (2019)
3. Texas DSHS: Brazos County disease reporting contacts
4. Texas DSHS: 2024 rabies summary by county (PDF)
5. Texas A&M AgriLife: controlling bats
6. Mammals of Texas (TTU NSRL): Brazilian free-tailed bat
7. Mammals of Texas (TTU NSRL): evening bat
8. TPWD Outdoor Annual: nongame and other species (bats)
9. Texas DSHS: bat exposure scenarios and capture tips
10. Census Reporter: College Station ACS 2024 profile
11. NOAA NCEI 1991–2020 monthly normals (College Stn Easterwood Fld)