WOODBURY— Lunch on the patio of Nonnewaug has gone from picnic to panic with rising numbers of yellow jackets swarming students. For some, bees are no big deal. But for others, like one of Nonnewaug’s custodians Clayton Hilpertshauser, a bee sting can be the matter of a regular day of work or a hospital trip.
Hilpertshauser happens to be one of the millions of Americans who are allergic to bees – and a bee sting isn’t just a shrug of the shoulders.
“If I get stung I have to go to the hospital,” Hilpertshauser said. “Every time I get stung my reaction symptoms get worse and worse.”
Hilpertshauser recalls the last time he got stung.
“The last time I got stung was two summers ago,” Hilpertshauser said. “I went to the hospital and passed out on the way, and once they hit me with my epinephrine pen I cleared up pretty quick and I went home that night.”
This year has also been such a worse year in terms of the numbers of bees outside. According to Dr Gale Ridge, an expert in insects said in an interview with WTNH, notes that there’s a specific reason for the rising yellow jacket populations.
“We are seeing an increase in yellow jacket activity this year because of the consecutive last two winters being relatively mild,” Ridge said. “Mild and wet has been very good for them.”
Not only are there more bees, many more are attracted to the area because of food and drinks left out during lunch.
Max Nichols, a junior at Nonnewaug who eats outside, said the bees often like the juice served with lunches.
“I see a lot of times that the bees will get attracted to the juice that comes with the lunches, especially if anybody spills them at our table,” says Nichols.
Nichols claims that the bees have been flying around in large numbers outside, and despite Hilpertshauser effort in keeping school grounds clear, the bees have yet to relent.
“There are so many bees out there, and they are always flying in my ears and they are just so annoying,” says Nichols. “Some days there are so many that me and my friends go sit inside because they keep bothering us.”
Luckily, Hilpertshauser knows how to deal with the bees to anybody being stung.
“Just don’t swat at them,” says Hilpertshauser. “Don’t antagonize them because if you antagonize them they’re going to get you.”
Hilpertshauser says he often finds people swatting at bees, luckily none of which have been stung so far at lunch.
“The students definitely do swat at the bees quite a bit,” says Hilpertshauser. “if you swat at the bees they have a tendency to want to sting you. You’re better off ignoring them. Let them do their thing.”
