Bat Removal in Marietta

Signs of Bats in Your Attic & Health Risks to Know

Bat infestations often go unnoticed until the colony is well established. The most common warning signs are droppings (called guano) collecting in the attic or along exterior walls, scratching or squeaking sounds near dusk when bats become active, and a sharp ammonia-like odor from accumulated waste. If any of these sound familiar, it’s worth having your attic inspected.

The health risks aren’t something to set aside. Accumulated guano can harbor a fungus whose airborne spores cause histoplasmosis, a lung infection that ranges from mild to serious depending on exposure. Bats can also carry rabies. A bat found inside a living area, especially in a room where someone was sleeping, should be treated as a potential exposure and reported to your local health authority promptly.

Georgia Bat Protections & Marietta Exclusion Timing

Bats are protected under Georgia law (OCGA 27-1-28), which means intentional killing or extermination isn’t a legal option. The permitted removal method is exclusion, which allows bats to leave a structure on their own while preventing re-entry.

Timing matters. Georgia DNR guidance advises against exclusion work between April 1 and July 31 each year. During this maternity period, pups are too young to fly, and installing exclusion devices before they can leave on their own traps them inside. Any work scheduled during that window must be performed by a licensed Nuisance Wildlife Control Operator, and the approach changes accordingly. Georgia is home to 16 bat species, and all of them fall under these protections. SWAT Services manages the documentation and compliance requirements so the work stays within the bounds of state and Cobb County rules.