When to Deal With Bats in New England

 

You should deal with bats in New England as soon as you notice them inside your home, attic, walls, or anywhere they shouldn’t be. The best time to safely remove bats from your house is late summer to early fall—usually between August and October—after young bats (called pups) are old enough to fly on their own. This timing is very important because if you try to get rid of bats during the summer maternity season (usually June through July), you could accidentally trap baby bats inside, which is both inhumane and against the law in many places.

 

Why Timing Matters When Removing Bats

 

Bats in New England are protected wildlife, and most of the ones you find in homes are females raising their young. During the maternity season (early June through late July), mother bats gather together to have their babies, who cannot fly for several weeks. If you block their way out during this time, you could separate mothers from their pups, leading to dead young bats that can cause odors, attract insects, and create a health hazard. That’s why professionals wait until pups are able to fly—so the whole colony can leave safely.

 

Signs That It's Time to Deal With Bats

 

• Seeing bats flying in your house or finding one inside a room
• Hearing scratching, squeaking, or flapping sounds in your attic or walls, especially at dusk or dawn
• Finding bat droppings (guano) that look like small black pellets in your attic, under eaves, or window sills
• Noticing strong, musty smells coming from your attic or walls, often from droppings or urine
• Spotting stains around attic vents or cracks that might be bat entry points

If you notice any of these signs, it’s the right time to plan for bat removal—even if you have to wait a short while for the legal exclusion window.

 

How Professionals Remove Bats Safely and Legally

 

Here’s what bat specialists like myself will do:

• Inspect the entire building to find every spot bats use to get in or out. Bats can squeeze through holes as small as a dime.
• Identify the species and make sure there aren’t young, flightless pups present during maternity season.
• Seal up all openings except for the main bat exit holes.
• Install one-way exclusion devices on the main exits. These are special tubes or nets that let bats leave at night to hunt for insects, but keep them from getting back inside. After several nights, the bats will be all outside and unable to return.
• Once all bats are out, remove the one-way devices and permanently seal every entry hole to keep them from coming back.

This work is usually scheduled for late summer or fall. If a bat ends up inside your living space, you can try to confine it to one room by shutting doors, then open a window and leave the room to let it escape on its own. If you’re not comfortable doing this, call a professional.

 

Why You Should Never Try to Exterminate Bats

 

• Bats are protected by law in most regions—including New England—because they eat huge numbers of mosquitoes and other pests.
• It’s illegal to poison or intentionally kill bats, except in very rare public health situations.
• Bat droppings and dead bats can cause breathing illnesses if disturbed.
• Improper removal can make the problem worse and create health or legal problems.

Always use safe, humane removal methods by calling a wildlife professional.

 

Additional Important Things to Know

 

• If you or a pet have physical contact with a bat, contact your doctor or veterinarian right away, because bats can sometimes carry rabies.
• After removal, have the area cleaned professionally to safely remove droppings and sanitize the space—it’s not safe to handle bat guano without proper protection.
• Prevent future problems by regularly checking your home for holes, using screens on vents, and keeping doors and windows in good repair.

Simply put: Deal with bats as soon as you know they’re a problem, but if you need to remove a colony, wait until late summer or early fall to make sure all bats can leave safely. Always get professional help for safe, legal, and lasting results.