ROCHESTER, N.Y. — It’s a problem that happens every summer, homeowners dealing with bats taking up residence in their homes. Wildlife experts are experiencing increased calls for safe removal, but depending on where the bats are, you may have to wait one more month to get them out.

What You Need To Know

  • Homeowners, like Ashley Perry, often find bats taking up residence in their homes during summer

  • Wildlife expert Bob Witzel, known as "The Batman," explains that bat removal is prohibited from May 15 to Aug. 15 

  • Once baby bats are mature, experts use one-way systems to evict bats and seal entry points to prevent their return

Ashley Perry is awaiting the arrival of her first child. But lately, her excitement has been overshadowed by a more pressing issue. 

"I noticed, about three weeks ago, I went to let my dog out, there was a dark spot, so I looked over there, and bats were flying into the chimney," said Ashley Perry.

Ashley captured a video of bats on her cell phone one morning flying into the back of her home. Bats can pose health risks, especially for pregnant women, so Ashley called in an expert for help from "The Batman."

"This side of the chimney is where the bats are coming out. You can see how it's separated from the side of the house. So that's all got to be sealed up," said wildlife expert Bob Witzel.

That's no problem for Bob Witzel but he likes to be called "The Batman." Bob has been in the wildlife industry for over 20 years and his specialty is bats. 

"First of all, they're not the evil, nasty creatures that they're made out to be. You still don't want them living with you because there are some health concerns, rabies and some other diseases associated with their droppings," Witzel added. 

"The Batman" says baby bats are born in the summer and can't fly yet. New York State laws prohibit bat removal from May 15 to Aug. 15 to protect nursing mother bats.

"We can't work until the babies are mature enough to get out. And, once they're mature enough, then everything gets sealed. The one-way systems go on, everybody goes out," Witzel said.

The one-way system keeps bats from returning if there are no other entry points. With the bat population in New York state, customers will be calling "The Batman" for help.

"Come mid to late August when we finally can start doing on, then we have quite a backlog to try to get through before snow flies," said Witzel.

Once the bats are released from Ashley's home in August, construction workers will make repairs so it is safe for her and her child. 

"I'm 36 weeks pregnant, so we will be finding a temporary place to stay with a brand new baby," Perry said.

"The Batman" also mentioned that baby browns and black bats are more likely to be seen in upstate New York.