HeLLa Wasps

As seniors grab their chairs from the 100 wing and walk to the senior lawn, they are excited to devour their lunches and catch up with friends. After finding the perfect spot, they begin to tell stories about their teachers or what their plans are for the weekend. As lunch progresses, they start putting their unfinished salads or turkey sandwiches on the ground. One by one wasps start to swarm until they finally land on something appetizing. Some stay calm, but others scream and jump out of their chairs. They create quite a scene, making everyone stare.

“It’s hard to eat my lunch” says Taylor Brown. “ They make me feel attacked like they are trying to invade my space”.

Not only do the wasps invade at lunch but have also been known to follow students down the hallways as well as distract athletes during sporting events. Mrs. Huff, Las Lomas’s Attendance/ Health Clerk says, “Run and Hide!”

Wasp nests located in library entrance.

Taylor and Mrs. Huff, among others would like to find a way to contain the wasps. While administration and janitors knock down the many wasp nests around campus, the wasps retaliate by building even more breading grounds. Edgar, Las Lomas’s campus gardner, said that these nests are located at the entrance to the Library, in the 200 wing and on the Theater lawn.

In an attempt to contain the problem, wasp traps have been hung all over campus.

Wasp trap on theater lawn.

In the months of August, September, and October wasp activity starts to subside as worker wasps die and the queen decreases her egg laying. If this truly is the case, the staff and students of Las Lomas should soon see a decline in the wasp population.