According to a sign posted on a door on the second floor of Willcox Hall, there is an ongoing yellow jacket infestation.  

Many students have reported seeing yellow jackets in room W34B and in room W35 where many classes are often held. All were promptly moved to alternate spaces.  

The head of the Pace Media Communications and Visual Arts (MCVA) lab, Chris Lengers spoke on the ongoing situation. He reports that there is a nest outside the building on the second floor. Lengers says that Buildings and Grounds are on top of it and will “resolve the situation as quickly as possible”.  

It appears, however, that the Buildings and Grounds crew will be at work for a little longer than they wish. According to a 2012 article from the website “Westchester Wildlife”, both yellowjackets and hornets are common in Westchester County during the late summer and early fall season.  

Bees in Willcox Hall were first discovered on campus in the late summer. In the article, the organization states that until the queen yellowjacket dies in autumn, she “will remain in the nest and lay eggs.”

This fact subsequently puts the workers in a time crunch to get the existing insects out before a new queen is hatched. 

In a twist of tragic irony, across the hall from the wasp-ridden classroom is a poster for the Pace Documentary Course student film “Bee Aware” (2021) It hangs high almost as if it were mocking the very existence of the problem. For any students that may have an allergy to bees and/or wasps, the areas to avoid are near the ends of the front hallways on the second and third floors of Willcox. Protect yourself and stay safe, whether you are allergic or not.