Bats in Your Attic? Homeowners Have Until October 30 to Remove Them

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Going batty with unwelcomed guests hanging around at your home?  Homeowners have a small window of opportunity to take action. 

All contact with bats should be avoided, however, if one enters your home the Illinois Department of Natural Resources website gives guidelines to homeowners​ who want to remove bats from their living spaces themselves, which can be done at any time of the year.  These rooms are those that are actively used by homeowners.

​All bats are protected in Illinois under the Wildlife Code, and there are only certain time during the year a homeowner can remove them from a "non-living space", such as an attic.   

According to the Illinois Department of Natural Resources, a bat or bat colony can only be removed from a non-living space (such as an attic) between March 15 and May 15, and between August 5 and October 30 when outdoor temps exceed 50 degrees at dusk.  This guideline is in place to protect pups while they are still unable to fly.​

However, if you have a bat or bat colony in your non-living space and don't want to perform a bat exclusion yourself, the University of Illinois Extension Service provides a list of contractors​ who can.