North Carolina residents urged to check attics for bats before May pupping season begins

Bat pupping season starts soon, and the North Carolina Wildlife Commission is asking people to check their home attics now for bats.

The season starts on May 1 and ends July 31.  

Bat pupping season is when newborn bats are typically born. Since bats are a protected species because of their significance in the ecosystem, it’s illegal to remove a bat or its pups from a structure during this time of the year.

“Newborn bats can’t fly and are left in the roost while their mothers forage for the evening,” said Katherine Etchison, the agency’s bat biologist.

“Evicting bats during this time ensures any pups in the roost will starve. To make matters worse, desperate mother bats may fly through open doors or windows trying to reach their pups, increasing the chance of a close encounter with humans” Etchison said.” By Aug. 1, bat pups are old enough to fly, so it’s safe to evict bats after that date.”  

Signs that bats have made your attic home are if you spot rice-size dropping typically under attic vents, shutters, and other possible entry points of an attic.

 If you think you might have bats its best to hire a license Wildlife Control Agent or follow Bat Conservation International’s guidance on removing bats on your own.