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Killer Bee Attack Leaves 1 Dead, 4 Injured In Arizona

Deadly Bee Attack In Arizona
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Overnight Editor, HuffPost

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One man was killed and four others injured after being attacked by a swarm of about 800,000 bees in Douglas, Ariz., on Wednesday.

Four of the victims, including the deceased, had been doing yard work when they were attacked by the Africanized bees, a.k.a. "killer" bees, according to reports.

“Upon arrival, our units found five patients on scene that had been stung by bees,” Douglas Fire Chief Mario Novoa told the Douglas Dispatch. “Two patients were critical and were taken by ambulance to Cochise Regional Hospital. Two patients declined transport and one patient drove herself to the hospital.”

Bee attack in Douglas leaves one man dead & another critically injured. The hive is believed to contain 800,000 bees. pic.twitter.com/qIYfPNF07V

— 3TV News Desk (@3tvnewsdesk) October 8, 2014

One man, 32, was stung more than 100 times and went into cardiac arrest.

"A witness said his face and neck were covered with bees," Capt. Ray Luzania of the Douglas Fire Department told Tucson.com.

Four of the men had been working for Douglas ARC, an organization that helps people with developmental disabilities, the website reported. The other victim was a neighbor.

Jesus Corella of Southwest Exterminating, who was called in after the attack, said he found a massive nest between the ceiling and attic of the home, which he estimated to be at least 10 years old. He told Tucson News Now that the bees were very aggressive.

"They were already dropping down at me even before I started approaching it, that was before I started spraying, they were dive-bombing me and that's a sign to back off, back way off," Corella was quoted as saying.

The exterminator found a 3-foot by 8-foot hive, and had to cut through part of the ceiling to get to it, according to CNN.

The homeowner, a 90-year-old man who lives alone, was not injured. However, he was evacuated and Tucson News Now reports he is staying with relatives.

“At this time, the house is uninhabitable,” Novoa told the Dispatch.

Also this week, a bee attack in Texas left a man so seriously injured he had to be airlifted to a hospital.

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Before You Go

5 Facts About Bees
There Are Thousands Of Bee Species(01 of05)
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Many people are aware of bumblebees and honeybees, but did you know there are 20,000 species of bees worldwide? In North America alone there are over 4,000 species of bees.Honeybees, probably the species the public is most aware of, are not even native to the United States but were brought over by early settlers. Native North American bee species include bumblebees, mason bees and orchard bees. (credit:Getty Images)
Bees Are Colorful(02 of05)
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When people think of bees, they tend to think of insects that are yellow and black. While these colors appear on some species, bees can actually be found in a wide range of colors. They can be amber, metallic green or deep metallic blue-black, and can have turquoise or emerald eyes.“The beauty of other [bee] species blows people away,” says Spevak. “They are so diverse.” (credit:Getty Images)
Bees Are Not Aggressive(03 of05)
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One of the biggest worries people have about bees is being stung, However, according to Spevak, bees are not aggressive.“Bees normally can care less about you," Spevak says. "It’s very difficult to actually get stung by most bees.”Honeybees and bumblebees may become aggressive if you approach their hive or colony because they will attempt to protect it, but unless they are provoked, most bees will leave you alone. (credit:Getty Images)
Not All Bees Live In Hives Or Are Social(04 of05)
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According to Spevak, 70 percent of native bees nest in the ground and most bees are solitary. The social nature of bumblebees and honeybees is actually considered odd.“Some bees don’t mind living next to each other," says Spevak. "Like an apartment, they’ll share an entrance but have their own individual spaces."Ground nesting bees are also not aggressive. Even running a lawn mower over their nest will tend to get little reaction. (credit:Getty Images)
You Can Become A Hobbyist Bee Keeper(05 of05)
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Beekeeping is no longer only for professionals. According to Belli, there are more hobbyist beekeepers now than ever before.“Hobbyist beekeepers may be the salvation of bees. They introduce a great deal of diversification,” Belli says. “It’s a great hobby and very enjoyable.”There are a number of local beekeeping clubs in every state where you can learn more about becoming a beekeeper. (credit:Getty Images)
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