August is the Beginning of Bat Removal Season
By Chris Williams on September 1, 2015.
We have some bats living in our attic. When we had an exterminator come out, they said they couldn’t do anything about it until fall. Why is that? I want them out of there NOW!
F. L., Hookset, NH
Brown Bat
Bats are endangered mammals and are protected by both federal and state laws. The exterminator was right; most states don’t allow bat removal during the months when bats could have young in the nest site. Some states also protect bats from removal during winter months when they may hibernate in attics. Fortunately for you, it’s now the time of year when humane bat removal is legally allowed.
Bats and Their Young Are Protected
Bat babies can be present anytime from mid-May to mid-August. In most cases, bat pups are able to fly in July but don’t completely leave the nest for a few more weeks. If you close up openings or remove the mom during summer months when young are still in the nest, you will likely seal bat pups into your attic. The young will either die and smell, or they may find their way down into your living space.
By mid-August, bats generally leave the nursery site (your attic) to find a place to spend the winter. In your state of New Hampshire, humane bat removal is allowed beginning August 15, and must be completed by May 15 when the first newborn bats may be present.
There’s a Narrow Window for Bat Removal
Some bats do not migrate but spend the winter where they are, which might be your attic. Generally, pest control companies in our area like to do fall bat jobs in that time frame between mid-August (when the young have left) and mid-October (when winter dens are established). During that narrow window, a pest control company can humanely and legally remove any bats that are present and can “bat-proof” your home, sealing any openings that bats use to get inside.
Don’t miss out on the opportunity to have the bats removed from your attic. Give Colonial Pest a call today. We have been doing bat removal and bat exclusion since 1984. We have certified Wildlife Removal Experts on staff and our bat control work is guaranteed for a full seven years.
For more on bat removal and exclusion, see these Colonial blogs: