If you’ve been hearing scratching, chirping, or fluttering noises in your attic this summer, you may have bats living in your home. While it’s understandable to want them removed immediately, Wisconsin has important regulations that protect bats during their maternity season. During this time, humane bat exclusion cannot be performed because young bats are unable to fly and depend entirely on their mothers.
Knowing when bats have babies, why bat exclusion is restricted, and what you should do if bats have moved into your home can help you avoid costly mistakes and protect both your home and Wisconsin’s beneficial bat population.
Why Are Bats Important?
Although many homeowners are startled by the thought of bats living in their attic, bats actually play a vital role in Wisconsin’s ecosystem. Most of the bats found throughout the state feed almost exclusively on insects, including mosquitoes, moths, beetles, and agricultural pests.
In fact, a single bat can consume hundreds to thousands of insects in one evening. By naturally reducing insect populations, bats provide an environmentally friendly form of pest control that benefits homeowners, farmers, and wildlife alike.
Unfortunately, the warm, protected spaces inside attics, barns, and wall voids also make ideal locations for female bats to raise their young.
Understanding Wisconsin’s Bat Maternity Season
Each spring, female bats gather together to form what are known as maternity colonies. These colonies are established inside warm structures where they can safely give birth and raise their pups.
Baby bats are born unable to fly and rely completely on their mothers for food and warmth during their first several weeks of life. Because the pups cannot leave the attic on their own, sealing entry points during this time would trap them inside while preventing the adult bats from returning.
For this reason, the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources restricts bat exclusions during maternity season. In most years, this restricted period runs from June 1 through approximately August 1, although exact dates may vary depending on weather conditions and guidance from the DNR.
Attempting to remove bats during this period can result in trapped pups, unpleasant odors from deceased animals, insect infestations, and bats searching for alternate ways into your living space.
Signs You May Have Bats in Your Home
Many homeowners never actually see the bats. Instead, they notice signs that become more obvious as the colony grows.
Common signs include:
- Chirping or squeaking sounds shortly before sunset or around sunrise.
- Scratching or fluttering noises coming from the attic or inside walls.
- Bats flying around your roofline at dusk.
- Small piles of dark droppings (called guano) below roof peaks or attic vents.
- Dark staining around soffits, roof vents, or other small openings where bats regularly enter and exit.
If you notice any of these warning signs, it’s important not to seal the openings yourself. A professional inspection can determine whether the bats are part of a maternity colony and recommend the safest course of action.
Why DIY Bat Removal Often Creates Bigger Problems
Many homeowners assume they can simply seal the hole where the bats are entering. Unfortunately, this often creates a much larger problem.
If the adult bats are locked outside while their babies remain trapped inside, the mothers will desperately search for another way back into the home. Sometimes this results in bats finding their way into living areas through gaps around light fixtures, plumbing, or attic access points.
Meanwhile, trapped pups may not survive, creating foul odors and attracting flies, beetles, and other scavenging insects.
Professional bat exclusion uses one-way devices that allow bats to leave safely while preventing them from returning—but these methods can only be used after the young bats are capable of flying.
What Happens After Maternity Season?
Once the baby bats are old enough to fly, professional bat exclusion becomes the safest and most effective solution.
A complete bat exclusion typically includes:
- A thorough inspection of the home’s exterior.
- Identifying every possible bat entry point.
- Installing one-way exclusion devices that allow bats to leave naturally.
- Permanently sealing all entry points after every bat has exited.
- Evaluating the attic for guano accumulation and recommending cleanup if necessary.
Unlike trapping or relocating bats, exclusion allows them to safely leave while ensuring they cannot re-enter your home.
Why Professional Bat Removal Matters
Bats can squeeze through openings as small as 3/8 of an inch. Many of these gaps are nearly impossible to find without a detailed inspection.
Professional bat removal focuses on identifying every potential entry point, complying with Wisconsin wildlife regulations, and providing a long-term solution instead of a temporary fix.
A properly completed exclusion not only removes the current colony but also helps prevent future infestations.
Schedule Your Bat Inspection Early
Even if bat exclusion cannot be completed immediately because of maternity season, scheduling an inspection early is still one of the smartest decisions you can make.
An early inspection allows a wildlife professional to confirm where the bats are entering, assess the size of the colony, explain your options, and schedule exclusion work as soon as Wisconsin’s exclusion window reopens.
At Erdye’s Pest Control, we specialize in humane bat exclusion that protects both your home and Wisconsin’s valuable bat population. If you’ve noticed bats flying around your roofline or have been hearing unusual noises in your attic, don’t wait until the problem becomes worse.
Contact Erdye’s Pest Control today to schedule a professional bat inspection. We’ll help you understand what’s happening, explain the next steps, and ensure your home is protected with safe, effective, and humane bat removal solutions.