Killer Bee Swarm Attacks Man: 81-Year-Old Man Dies After Being Stung 1,000 Times By Swarm Of Africanized Bees

An 81-year-old man died after being stung between 500 and 1,000 times by a swarm of Africanized killer bees. The incident happened on June 12 in Valle Vista, Arizona, according to Fox News. He was watching some property in the area when he was stung by a hive of Africanized bees.

The Mohave County Sheriff’s Office confirmed on Friday that John Wade died due to his injuries at a hospital in Kingman.

Beekeeper Johnnie Hoeft was called to the scene after the killer bee swarm attacked the man. He says that the hive was inside an old tool cabinet in a shed.

Havasu News adds in its more detailed report that Wade suffered a heart attack as a result of the bee attack. Family friend Betty Crippin said Wade had recovered a few years back from battling cancer. This makes the killer bee attack even more devastating.

“I just heard about it on Tuesday. He went out to his tool shed, and there was a hive of bees inside…. John recovered from cancer a few years ago, only for the bees to take him.”

Wade is the first victim to die from Africanized killer bees in Arizona this year, the report indicates. The of bees are known for their aggressive nature and are very territorial.

Shockingly, John Wade’s family has a tragic history. One of his sons was struck and killed by lightning in 1973, and another died in a car accident in 1982. Wade has three surviving daughters in Kingman and Tucson, Havasu News reports.

There are about 40 fatal bee attacks each year in the U.S., according to the University of Illinois Department. Tech Times reports that these bees are a cross between African and European Honey bees. Reed Booth, the owner of a bee removal service in southern Arizona, says that the aggressive bees don’t like anything. The killer bees are always on the “lookout for possible threats to their hives.” They might even consider the scent of cologne or colored clothing to be a danger.

“They hate any movement, noise or vibration,” Booth says. “They hate everything.”

It’s best when encountering a swarm of bees to limit movement. If anyone gets stung by a swarm of killer bees, cover up in a blanket or other heavy material. Don’t ever submerge in water because the bees will wait for the victim to come up and gasp for air.

[Photo by Matt Cardy/Getty Images]