SWARM HAS SCHOOL BUZZING; LA MESA JUNIOR HIGH CAN'T KEEP BEES OFF CAMPUS.

Byline: Bhavna Mistry Staff Writer

The buzz at La Mesa Junior High School involves stingers, not gossip. It's the buzz of a relentless swarm of bees and yellow jackets that have been on campus longer than the students.

And even with the threat of the aggressive Africanized ``killer bees'' moving toward the area and breeding with native bees, the school principal said nothing can be done to eradicate the pesky buzzing pests.

``We don't know where they are coming from, but they are here,'' La Mesa Junior High School Principal Rochelle Neal said of the buzzing insects.

This week, Neal called in a beekeeper to come evaluate the situation and to see if anything else can be done to help them find other habitats.

Bob Carr of All Valley Honey and Bee of Encino said that he saw 50 to 60 yellow jackets on campus but said that it is not unusual for this time of the year.

``There's been a tremendous amount of yellow jackets everywhere,'' Carr said. ``They are infesting the entire Los Angeles County.''

Carr said that the bees are expected to remain for another month, but nothing can really be done about them. They are attracted to sweets juices and other liquids spilled, discarded or left unattended.

Neal said that La Mesa has had the same problem with bees since the school was built more than six years ago, but that over the years, the swarms have diminished.

``Since we opened, we had a problem with bees,'' said Neal, adding that the bees have been drawn to the campus. ``When we do have them, they swarm around the trash cans and the kids like to bat them.''

The bees are especially abundant at lunchtime, buzzing over trash cans, sandwiches and soft drinks.

``They're attracted to the soda,'' Neal said.

The bees also appear to be attracted to an area near the school's gymnasium.

The bees are not the Africanized variety that has made its way to Southern California from Brazil. Those bees, with dominant aggressive tendencies, breed with honeybees and their genes tend to prevail, Los Angeles County agriculture officials warn.

``We have received information on what the killer bees look like,'' Neal said. ``They don't have the same characteristics. They're not that aggressive.''

``The killer bees haven't made it to this area,'' she added.

While La Mesa officials don't believe the bees are dangerous, they keep 10 emergency bee kits on hand in the health office in case a bee stings somebody who is allergic.

During the peak of the bee season, about two students report being stung each week. So far, no students with bee allergies have been stung, she said, noting that the health office keeps records of students' health problems.

Neal said she has contacted beekeepers and landscapers over the years in hopes of getting rid of the pesky visitors. But she's been told nothing can be done, and that the bees eventually will leave on their own.

``There were no suggestions,'' she said.

School workers make a point of emptying trash cans immediately after lunch in hopes of discouraging the bees.

In past years, the school has used honey-laced bee traps, that look like hummingbird feeders, which have been placed on campus away from areas frequented by students.

The bees are drawn to the trap by the honey, and die inside.

Neal speculates that construction surrounding the school has been driving the bees from their natural habitat to the school.

``I think it's the construction around us,'' Neal said. ``As they tear down the trees, they come to the school.''

And as construction slows, she is noticing the swarms diminishing.

``As a trend, they are getting lighter,'' Neal said. ``I don't think we have any more bees on a normal day than any other place.''

According to Neal, the bees are most prevalent in September and October.