Bats in the Attic in Indiana: Why Exclusion Beats Trapping
A single bat flapping around the living room is scary; finding out there's a colony of 40 behind your gable vent is worse. Bats are also genuinely important — a little brown bat eats thousands of insects a night — which is why Indiana protects them and why the only correct method is bat exclusion.
How bats get in
Gaps of 3/8 inch are enough: ridge vents, gable vent louvers, the gap behind fascia boards, chimney flashing and where siding meets the soffit. Look for brown staining (rub marks) and small black droppings below an opening at dusk.
Why you can't just seal the hole
Sealing bats inside kills them, is illegal, and sends panicked bats into your living space. Sealing during maternity season (roughly June through mid-August in Indiana) traps flightless pups.
The exclusion process
- Full exterior inspection at dusk to confirm entry points and count the colony.
- Seal all secondary openings.
- Install one-way exclusion devices at the main entries. Bats leave to feed and can't return.
- Return after several nights to remove devices and permanently seal the last openings.
- Optional bat guano cleanup and insulation replacement.
Is guano dangerous?
Accumulated guano can host the fungus that causes histoplasmosis. Don't disturb it dry; our crews remove it with respirators and HEPA vacuums, then sanitize and replace contaminated insulation.
What if a bat is in the house right now?
Close interior doors, open a window in that room, and call our 24 hour line. If anyone was sleeping in the room with the bat or there's any chance of contact, contact your doctor about rabies guidance.
We handle bat removal statewide — bat removal in Bloomington, Fort Wayne, Terre Haute, Columbus and more. Call (833) 659-0727.