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Uninvited guests inhabit Historical Society museum

By Greg Bebermeyer

07/26/2018

(KNZA)--Uninvited guests are inhabiting the Brown County Historical Society’s Memorial Auditorium Museum in downtown Hiawatha---little brown bats.

Historical Society Director Lynn Allen discussed the problem when she met with the Brown County Commission during their July 23rd meeting.

Allen said a pest control company has told them there is a colony of around 200 bats nesting among the rafters in the century-old building--mostly in the auditorium above the stage.

Allen said they have been regularly cleaning up bat poo from the stage area. She said they worry about disease being spread from the droppings and don't want people entering the auditorium exposed to it.

The Hiawatha Area Arts and Theatre Society--which regularly puts on productions in the auditorium--has told the Historical Society they may have to find another place unless the problem is resolved.

Allen says they have obtained the services of Critter Control from the Topeka/Lawrence area to address the problem, but it will cost $14,000.

The company plans to seal up all entry points into the auditorium--including small cracks or gaps. Once all the cracks are sealed, the company will install one-way valves for the bats to exit the building.

The little brown bat is one of the most common bats in the United States Its very small--from 2.5 inches to 4 inches--and weighs no more than half an ounce.

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