Dozens of bees greeted J.D. Worall on August 31 as he walked into his Loyola dorm room to begin his cross-country preseason.
Worrall found himself with a combination of dead and alive bees. Upon advice from his RA, he swatted the rest of the bees with his flip-flops.
This is not recommended. Bee expert Rob Lewis states never swat at a yellow jacket, it will only make them mad.
Even though the housing department was previously aware of this problem and had sent an exterminator, the spraying did not eradicate the problem.
The next morning, Worrall returned to his room to find it once again invaded by the winged insects.
He made another trip to the housing department and they assured him they were aware of the problem.
However, they were reluctant to assign Worrall to a temporary room while they dealt with the problem even though plenty were available. Worrall was on campus a week before most students arrive due to his cross-country preseason practice schedule.
“They made it into a big deal,” says Worrall. “I don’t know if I am allergic to bees or not, and I don’t want to find out.”
According to the U.S. Army Center, yellow jackets are the most common invaders of indoor housing and are the most likely to pick walls, attics, cellars, eaves and other crevices in which to make their homes.
Being able to sting multiple times, yellow jackets become more than just a nuisance. They can be dangerous and even fatal to those who are allergic.
Housing finally relented and assigned Worrall a temporary room until the bee problem could be resolved. Worrall was still disapointed by the lack of assistance offered him at any point by housing thoughout his ordeal.
“Between practice, meets and meetings I have had to move all my own stuff back and forth” said Worall.
The exterminator returned and sprayed yet again but when Worrall moved back into his room a couple days later, he could still hear the bees in the wall.
The solution to Worall’s problem was finally addressed by the maintenance workers who were able to locate the sources of entry and duct tape the window frame. According to Carson Pest Control, you should never block up the opening, as this will only force the bees to find another way out or chew through the interior wall.
Fran Koerting, director of residence life, was aware there was a nest in the wall of Regis and that university officials were unable to reach it.
Four rooms in Regis and two in Loyola are known to have been infested.
Even more concerning is the fact that two of the people whose rooms are infested are allergic to bee stings.
“If stung, an allergic person can go into anaphylactic shock and it is important they seek medical attention right away,” a University Health Center staff member said.
This potentially life-threatening reaction should be a concern to all.
Most people with bee sting allergies do not experience a severe reaction with their first sting.
Multiple stings increase the risk of an allergic reaction, but just one sting will cause serious symptoms for someone who is severely allergic, according to the Hershey medical center website.
If medical attention is not sought in the case of an allergic reaction, the victim could go into anaphylactic shock.
Symptoms include difficulty breathing, tightness in the chest, very low blood pressure, loss of consciousness, and shock. Anaphylactic shock can occur within minutes and result in death, according to the website.
At the staff meeting on Monday, Residence Life decided that moving the garbage cans away from the windows might help prevent bee attraction.
“[I think it’s] terrible that we have to live like this. It has been my experience that the people in charge do not react on time and have a very rough attitude,” said Serina Nakao.
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