Parking under trees in the south parking lot can leave cars covered in sticky excrement

Glenn Dread
Staff Writer

Have you ever washed your car and then parked over in the west end of the Pierce College parking lot, only to have it become sticky and dirty the very next day? Have you ever felt droplets and thought that they were raindrops on a clear, hot, sunny day? What you were experiencing was not rain or even tree sap, but the excrement of a tiny insect called an aphid. According to the “Encyclopedia of Insects”, aphid evolution has been shaped through nutrient-driven selection and by the host plants on which they feed, and aphids have responded by developing intricate life cycles and complex polymorphisms.

What this means is that the aphid can adapt to its surroundings in order to blend from predators. Most species of aphids are about the size of a pin head or smaller. The pesky aphid is considered a superfamily, which means they breed extremely fast. The little insect is one of nature’s most adaptive creatures and can live in any climate other than winter conditions or extremely dry terrain such as deserts without vegetation.

According to the writing of “Encyclopedia of Insects”, only two hundred and fifty species are considered an agricultural pest. Aphids are known for causing havoc on farmer’s produce as well as vineyards.

The good news is these semi-sweet aphids have a host of predators, such as wasps, larvae, ladybugs and aphid midges. Some creatures in the wild, such as ants, use aphids to their benefit. Ants love the secretion that aphids produce, and will even protect them from other predators.

The local problem even caused students to call upon Pierce College’s finest. Pierce College Security guard Ben Gomes states that, “our problems begin around the beginning of spring and
then increase in intensity in summer quarter. Many of our students complain about the sticky substance on their car’s paint job.”

I also spoke with fashion guru/college student Tanya Powell. She says when she arrives here around 7a.m. that her car is clean, but when she leaves at about three-thirty, she has the sticky substance all over. She also states that it is very hard to walk from her car in her high heels, boots and tennis shoes. Miss Powell would like to see something done because the poo sticks to the enamel of her Mercedes and also creates water spots and rings.

He also says that we have three options for getting rid of the sugary pest. One method would be to purchase ladybugs, but students with weak constitutions complained.
The second solution would be to bring wasps, but wasps are very aggressive and territorial. The third solution Ben mentioned was to use pesticides. Even though most are odorless, they usually do long term harm to already damaged environment.

The best solution Mr. Gomes suggested was treatment sticks. They are chemically treated sticks that are placed in the roots of trees and draw aphids away. If used during early spring or between the times that students return, he said this is the best treatment for everyone.

So if you feel a drop and it’s a clear day, please do not look up. If you have some the poo drip on your skin, don’t panic. Get home as soon as possible and wash it off.