Living/Learning Center residents were notified by Housing and Residence Life Office administrators Tuesday about a group of unexpected neighbors, thousands of them.

A honeybee colony had nested in the building’s attic, according to an email sent by Housing Director Mark Dougherty.

Moreover, the email informed students that the bee’s extraction and relocation was to begin last Wednesday and last for several days.

Affected areas include eaves above a lawn outside the lower central entrance on the building’s south side.

Living/Learning Center residents were encouraged to stay clear of the area due to increased activity by bees during the extraction process.

“What we were worried about is someone getting stung who’s allergic as they walked under it,” Dougherty said. “No students were stung as far as I know.”

Dougherty said staff noticed the bees a few weeks ago, prompting calls to be made to extract them.

“It took some time to get a contractor to inspect the nest,” he said.

Living/Learning Center resident Zane Paolini said he had seen bees there before.

“I couldn’t tell what type of bees they were. They could’ve been yellow jackets or something a lot more dangerous to the student population.

“I asked why (the honeybees) couldn’t just be killed and found that they’re actually endangered in the state of Pennsylvania,” he said.

Pennsylvania law prohibits destroying honeybees according to Pennsylvania Beekeeper Association secretary-treasurer Yvonne Crimbring.

“They must be relocated. If they have infested (the inside of) a home however, they need to be exterminated,” she said.

Resident Leah St. Cyr said she did not know about the bees, but is glad campus officers are relocating the hive.

“I’m terrified of bees. I let them do their thing and I do mine, but I panic when they’re near me,” she said.