Bats in the Attic? In Ontario, Fall Is Your Only Legal Window to Get Them Out Before Winter

Posted on 2026-10-07

Finding out you have bats in the attic is unsettling enough. What most people don't realize is that in Ontario, you can't just deal with them whenever it's convenient. Bats are a protected species here, and there's only a short window each fall to get them out the right way. Miss it, and you could be stuck sharing your home with them until spring!

Can you legally remove bats from your attic in Ontario?

Not by killing or trapping them, no. Every bat species in Ontario is protected, and a few are actually endangered, so harming them is against the law. What you can do is have them excluded, which means letting the bats leave on their own and then sealing up the ways they were getting back in. The catch is it has to be done in the fall, before the snow flies and the bats settle in for winter.

Why is fall the only time to get bats out before winter?

It comes down to the bats' own calendar. All summer, the mothers are raising pups that can't fly yet, so sealing the exits would trap and kill them. That's illegal, and no reputable company will do it. Then once it turns cold, the bats settle into hibernation right there in your attic, and they can't be disturbed until spring. That leaves one short stretch in the fall when the young can finally fly and the adults are still coming and going.

Right now, through October, the pups are grown and heading out each night to feed, which is exactly what makes a clean exclusion possible. Wait too long and the first real cold snap takes the option off the table. Miss the fall window and you're not just delayed, you're stuck living with them, and their mess, until the weather warms up months later! It's a short window every year, so homeowners looking for wildlife control in Newmarket and across York Region are smart to book before it closes.

How do you know if you have bats in your attic?

The signs are easier to spot than you'd think. The biggest giveaway is droppings, called guano, piling up in the attic or on the ground right below an entry point. You might also see dark, greasy staining around a gap in the soffit or roofline where they squeeze in, catch a musky smell, or hear faint scratching and squeaking around dusk as they wake up and head out for the night.

The easiest check is to stand outside and watch your roofline around sunset on a warm evening. If there's a colony up there, you'll actually see them slip out from under the soffit, a vent, or the edge of the fascia to go feed. Even one or two bats coming and going usually means more are roosting inside, since they rarely stay solo.

How does professional bat removal actually work?

It's a process called exclusion, and it works with the bats' natural habits instead of against them. A technician finds every spot they're using to get inside, then fits the main entry with a one-way door. The bats can leave to feed at night but can't get back in. After a few days, once they're all out, those openings get sealed for good. Done properly, it clears the whole colony without harming a single bat.

The last step matters just as much: cleaning up the guano and disinfecting the space, since the droppings can carry health risks and the leftover smell tends to draw new bats back later. Getting the timing and the sealing right is fiddly, and it's easy to close a gap too soon and trap one inside, so this really is a job for a pro. Our team handles bat removal in Vaughan and across York Region, along with full professional wildlife removal that covers the exclusion, sealing, and cleanup from start to finish.

What happens if you wait until winter?

You end up living with them until spring, plain and simple. Once the bats are hibernating, exclusion is off the table, so the whole colony stays put through the coldest months. In the meantime the guano keeps piling up in your insulation, the smell settles in, and it can stain ceilings and create real health concerns for your family. Waiting doesn't shrink the problem, it grows it.

Every season a colony spends in your attic, it does a little more damage and gets more set on coming back. Sealing them out this fall is far easier, and cheaper, than facing a bigger, messier job next year. If you've dealt with bats before, now's also the time to inspect and keep wildlife out of your attic for good before they find their way back in.

Think you've got bats overhead? Don't let the cold make the decision for you. Call Mr. Exterminator at 705-888-0029 and we'll inspect your home and get them out safely while there's still time this fall!