Bat Removal Laws: What Homeowners Need to Know

Finding bats in your attic can be unsettling, but before you try to evict them, you need to know the law. Bats are federally protected, and removing them at the wrong time is illegal.

Why Are Bats Protected?

Bats play a crucial role in our ecosystem, consuming millions of insects (including mosquitoes) every night. However, many bat populations are declining due to White-Nose Syndrome. As a result, federal and state laws protect them from being killed, harmed, or harassed.

The Maternity Season Blackout

The most important regulation concerns "Maternity Season." This is the time of year when female bats give birth and nurse their flightless pups.

In Kentucky, this typically runs from May through August.

During this time, you cannot perform a bat exclusion. If you seal the entry points while mothers are out feeding, the babies will be trapped inside your attic. They will die of starvation, creating a terrible odor and a biohazard, and the desperate mothers will try frantically to get back in, often ending up in your living space.

The Legal Way to Remove Bats

Since you cannot kill bats, the only legal method of removal is exclusion.

1. Inspection: Identify all entry points.
2. Sealing: Seal up secondary holes, leaving the main entry open.
3. One-Way Doors: Install devices that allow bats to fly out at night but prevent them from flying back in.
4. Wait: Leave devices up for several days to ensure all bats have exited.
5. Final Seal: Remove devices and permanently seal the main entry.