North Carolina is home to a substantial amount of diverse wildlife. The only elk herd east of the Mississippi River is located west of Asheville in the Cherokee area. In the foothills, it is not uncommon to see a deer, Turkey, or even a black bear in your backyard.
Sometimes, the wildlife doesn’t stay outside where it belongs. Rid-A-Bug gets calls all the time about squirrels, snakes, opossums, raccoons, and other animals that have taken residence in attics and basements.
One such unwanted houseguest is the bat. For some people, bats are not just a nuisance; they are frightening. Their presence sends shivers down some North Carolinians’ spines.
If you have bats in your attic, what can you do? Can you have them exterminated? Can you have them relocated? In this article, we are answering whether or not it is legal to exterminate bats in North Carolina, and what you should do if you see a colony in your attic.
Why Bats Are Actually Not the Worst
In pop culture lore, bats are closely associated with vampires. They are used as scary Halloween decorations and believed to carry rabies. In reality, bats are not harmful to humans, and only 6% are found to have rabies. Like most animals, they are only going to bite if they feel threatened.
There are benefits to having bats hanging around your property. They eat many of the pests we hate the most, such as mosquitos. Unfortunately, sometimes a family of bats might find your home to be an appealing place to live. When that happens, it can be difficult to get them out.
How Do I Know Bats Are In My Attic?
Bats are quiet, but they do show signs of their presence in your home:
- You might hear them scratching or squeaking.
- You might smell their guano or urine, which will smell like ammonia.
- You might see urine stains on your ceiling.
- You might see droppings on your attic floor or insulation.
- You might notice bats flying close to your roof vents and eaves.
If you suspect your attic has become home to bats, your first inclination may be to get rid of them. After all, you did not invite them in the first place. However, it is important to be aware of what you are legally allowed to do before you take the first step.
What You Can and Can’t Do About Bats in North Carolina
While their presence in your home might make it seem like there are more than enough bats in our state, they are actually protected in most parts of the South. They play an essential role in our ecosystem, yet, many species of bats are endangered. That is why it is vital to take precautions before you try to evict them from your attic.
“Because young bats are unable to fly for several weeks after birth and can be trapped inside during an eviction, usually to starve, there is a moratorium in North Carolina on bat evictions during the pup-rearing season from May 1 through July 31.” - North Carolina Wildlife Commission.
In other words, during the summer, you may just have to let them live with you. From August through April, you may be able to take some actions, but there are still many practices that are prohibited. From a previous post, “Bat boxes, sealing exits, and physically catching them are all against state and local regulations.”
As you can see, getting rid of bats is not a DIY project. You must make sure you work with local professionals who are wholly aware of the rules and regulations of bat removal.
The team at Rid-A-Bug Exterminating has decades of experience humanely relocating wildlife in the foothills and piedmont of North Carolina. We understand the laws and regulations governing bat removal, so we can make sure they are taken care of safely and legally.
We also help homeowners deter bats from returning their properties by exterminating the pests on which they feed.
If you have a bat problem, contact Rid-A-Bug Exterminating for a fast and thorough response. No one is more equipped to help than us.