Bats in Your House and Why Mid-August Is a Good Time to Seal Up Your Attic
Some important information on bats from our friends at the New Hampshire Fish and Game Department and our seasoned technicians.
If a Bat Gets Into Your Living Space
If bats fly into the living spaces of your house, don’t panic. They would rather not be there. Open any outside windows and doors to the room where the bat is located, then leave the room. Close any interior doors behind you and turn off the lights. The bat will usually find its way outdoors.
If you have one trapped, you can release it outside. In the summer, release it as soon as possible. In the winter, choose the warmest part of the day for release, if possible.
Do not touch a bat with your bare hands. If you touch a bat, you may be exposed to rabies. This is why skilled wildlife technicians are your best option.
If for any reason you touch a bat, call your doctor and the NH Department of Health and Human Services, Bureau of Infectious Disease Control, at (603) 271-4496 right away. Often people do not even realize they were bitten.
In the winter, big brown bats may show up in your basement, as that is a common access point. This is the only species that regularly uses buildings for hibernation.
Bats in Your Attic
Bats like to roost in attics because they are hot, safe places to raise their young, called pups. They may have pups from mid-May to mid-August. The pups begin flying in July but still need a safe place to roost for a few weeks.
If you seal up your attic before the pups are ready to leave, they may be trapped and die—or find their way into your living space. The mothers may also enter your home searching for a way back to their pups. If there is an opening, they WILL find it.
In mid-August, bats generally leave to seek a safe place for winter hibernation, making this a good time to permanently seal up your attic.
Bat Exclusion
During July, you can determine how bats are entering your attic by observing where they exit at dusk. This helps identify which openings need to be sealed.
Then in August, once bats are ready to leave, the openings can be permanently sealed. One-way doors should be used to ensure all bats exit before final sealing.
Licensed exclusion and preventive bat removal technicians are trained to find openings most homeowners would miss. If there are multiple entry points, some may be sealed first while one primary exit is fitted with a one-way door. This allows bats to leave but prevents re-entry. We always aim to humanely move them along.
To create a one-way door, screening material is secured at the top and sides of the opening but left open at the bottom. This allows bats to crawl out and fly away while preventing them from climbing back in.
Important: Avoid removing bats from mid-May through mid-August in uninhabited spaces. A 2012 rule prohibits the exclusion of bats from unoccupied structures by licensed Wildlife Control Operators from May 15 through August 15 unless the NH Department of Health and Human Services has documented a rabid bat on the property.
Cleanup After Exclusion
Once bats are gone, cleanup can begin.
Bat guano accumulates under colonies and can become a problem in barns, sheds, and other outbuildings where equipment or livestock are present. Consider installing a ceiling barrier, tarp, or plastic catch system to protect equipment. These can be lowered periodically for cleaning.
State wildlife experts warn that large accumulations of bat guano may harbor histoplasmosis fungal spores, which when inhaled can cause a lung infection. Precautions such as wearing a respirator should be followed when cleaning large accumulations—or better yet, hire professionals.
For more information, visit the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention website on Histoplasmosis.
Need Help?
If you suspect bats in your attic, consider professional bat prevention and exclusion services or full bat removal services.
OR contact a wildlife control expert.
Remember—the Advanced Wildlife Control, Inc. team provides FREE inspections, so call us today to schedule an inspection for your home.
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