On these warm summer days, many of us are enjoying picnics and barbecues at the various dedicated areas around the CERN sites, but wasps naturally seek their share of the delicious food and drink. On the Prévessin barbecue site, several incidents of wasp stings (including among our emergency services) have been reported. These incidents cannot be attributed to nearby nests, but rather to the presence of leftover food that has either been disposed of in the dedicated dustbins (the correct disposal method, although the bins do not close tightly and are not emptied after each barbecue) or been thrown into the thickets (an inappropriate disposal method that attracts wasps).
Given that the use of insecticide would run counter to the biodiversity preservation efforts put in place by CERN, and in order to avoid a resurgence of incidents involving wasps, for safety reasons, the use of the Prévessin barbecue area in particular is strongly discouraged and caution is recommended for any picnic or barbecue held at the other dedicated areas.
Thank you for your understanding.