STARKVILLE, Miss. (WTVA) -- Bats have invaded a dorm on the Mississippi State University campus.
The bats have been seen flying through Hathorn Hall.
The animals fly low enough that students said they have to duck their heads to keep from getting hit.
University officials said they must follow certain policies to get rid of the pesky creatures.
Students emailed cell phone video and pictures of the bats flying through the dorm.
While it may sound funny for Halloween, first-year student Savee Dalgo said the new neighbors were enough for her and her roommate to move to a different dorm.
"I was kinda nervous at first, but then I kinda got over it. But my roommate didn't like it at all, so we left.
Student Taylor Tillman said she doesn't like the bats. But she said she's not afraid enough to move.
"I mean, when you see one, you are going to scream. But it's whatever," said Tillman.
In a letter dated for Thursday, officials advised students and parents about the steps the university has taken to address the situation as required by law.
"Some bats are covered by the Environmental Protection Act. There are very specific protocols that must be observed in dealing with it," said Sid Salter, the university's director of university relations.
Officials said they have installed devices that allow bats to exit the building and not re-enter. Workers have filled holes and crevices with expandable foam to keep the bats from getting inside. Now students have the option to move to another dorm until the situation is resolved.
"We don't want students to be uncomfortable, and we don't want parents to be nervous about it. We have implemented policies that will allow the students to get immediate relief on request. We unfortunately don't have a snap solution for the problem; it's going to take some time," said Salter.
Meanwhile, students have been instructed not to try to catch the bats but tell their residence director if a bat has been spotted.
