When you suspect you have bats in your attic, the sooner you can take care of the situation and get rid of them, the better. They can attract other pests into the house and their droppings, called guano, can cause odors in the home, staining on floors, ceilings, and walls, and present serious health risks. Larger groups of bats, or colonies, can make a lot of noise, particularly when the females give birth and are raising their young. Discovering a bat colony in your attic will certainly send you to the internet searching for information on how to get rid of bats in the attic vent.

Bats are Protected under Georgia Law

Under Georgia law, bats are a protected animal. There are approximately sixteen species of bats found in Georgia, and it is illegal to intentionally harm, capture, or kill them. This can pose a bit of a challenge for some homeowners because while the majority of bats prefer hollow trees and caves, some species have developed a preference for human structures when seeking shelter. This means that getting rid of bats is not as easy as other pest control or wildlife management tasks. In fact, bat removal cannot be performed by just anyone.

A special permit issued by the Georgia Department of Natural Resources is required for removing bats from a structure. There are also strict time limits that focus on the months when the females are least likely to be raising their young (which are unable to fly). Removal is discouraged between May 1 and August 15, which is known as the bats’ maternity season unless it can reasonably be determined that no flightless young are present, either by direct inspection of the roost site or by inspection of emerging females for indications of lactation.

How to get Rid of Bats in the Attic Vent

Bat exclusion is a delicate process. Since it is against the law to harm them, you must wait until they all exit the attic (or in some instances remove them by hand) and then prevent their re-entry through a process known as exclusion. Bats typically take flight in the evening when they leave their shelter in search of food. At that point their entry point would have to be blocked so that they cannot re-enter when they return. All the bats must be out of the attic or you could wind up with a bat in your house.

Because of the state laws regarding bats, the permit that must be obtained to remove them, and the delicate nature of bat exclusion, it is wise to hire a company that specializes in removing bats. Most professionals discourage homeowners from trying to get rid of bats on their own. Not only could they injure the bats, but they could also find themselves in legal trouble as a result.

If you have a bat problem in your home, don’t try to do bat exclusion on your own. Call the professionals at North Fulton Pest Solutions. One of our experienced, knowledgeable pest control technicians will inspect your property, find out how the bats are getting into your home, and work with you to create a plan to get the bats out of your attic and keep them out for good.