By Associated Press - Tuesday, January 24, 2017

MONTPELIER, Vt. (AP) - A bat has joined lawmakers at the Vermont Statehouse for the governor’s upcoming budget address.

A state employee spotted the bat perched high on a wall outside the House chamber on Tuesday and tweeted a photo of it.

The Vermont Fish and Wildlife Department says it’s likely a big brown bat that has been hibernating somewhere in the building.



The state’s bat biologist says a bat hanging on the wall or ceiling or flying around is normal behavior and should be left alone. She says the bat will likely return to an attic space in a day or two.

Bats have turned up at the Statehouse before.

The Vermont House chamber was evacuated in May 2015 after a brown bat flew around.

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