Man dead in bee attack in Far East Mesa (2015, calculated)

[PoppySead]

Originally Posted by BillyJackAz

So, does anyone know if the guy had an allergic reaction to the bee stings that caused his death? Or did the massive accumulation of stings just have such a significantly harmful effect that it somehow killed him (i.e. caused his heart to stop, or his throat to swell and cut off his air)? I mentioned this story to someone at work earlier and they seemed to assume that it pretty much had to be an allergic reaction, alluding to it being extremely unlikely that the stings alone would kill a regular/healthy person who wasn't allergic.

This is definitely very sad to hear about, and frightening. If anyone else has helpful suggestions about what to do when facing a situation with bees, please do share them!

I don't think he was allergic, he just got stung a thousand times. That's a lot. Spring and fall seem to be the worse time for bee attacks for some reason. They often swarm around and look for new homes at that time I think.
As far as the location, I've seen a swarm at the grocery store. They had to close it until they removed the hive. Our lovely killer bee population is increasing and so are bee attacks. Don't blow off the bee's, run inside.

[AGA4233]

Wonder if there's an invention that could be a life saver....like some kind of instant smoke spray or repellent? Kinda like mace or pepper spray....use it when attacked or threatened.

I was going to hike that area last Sun but didn't make it. I've also heard bees a few times when hiking...I hope it's only a hot weather thing.

[observer53]

Originally Posted by BillyJackAz

So, does anyone know if the guy had an allergic reaction to the bee stings that caused his death? Or did the massive accumulation of stings just have such a significantly harmful effect that it somehow killed him (i.e. caused his heart to stop, or his throat to swell and cut off his air)? I mentioned this story to someone at work earlier and they seemed to assume that it pretty much had to be an allergic reaction, alluding to it being extremely unlikely that the stings alone would kill a regular/healthy person who wasn't allergic.

This is definitely very sad to hear about, and frightening. If anyone else has helpful suggestions about what to do when facing a situation with bees, please do share them!

He was stung, reportedly, at least 1000 times. You don't have to be allergic to die from the stings when you are stung that many times.

[goolsbyjazz]

Someone will patent a "bee deterent" for hikers. Heck, maybe I will!

[Colt AZ]

Originally Posted by observer53

He was stung, reportedly, at least 1000 times. You don't have to be allergic to die from the stings when you are stung that many times.

Sounds right.

[petlover8]

Has anyone heard if they're experiencing any problem at the Rio Salado Shooting Range? That is very close by to where this happened.

[Burning Madolf]

Originally Posted by AGA4233

Wonder if there's an invention that could be a life saver....like some kind of instant smoke spray or repellent? Kinda like mace or pepper spray....use it when attacked or threatened.
.

I always think this too. Something like a road flair that will smoke out/stun the bees so you can run away.

[Dewey59]

Originally Posted by AGA4233

Wonder if there's an invention that could be a life saver....like some kind of instant smoke spray or repellent? Kinda like mace or pepper spray....use it when attacked or threatened.

The wasp killer stuff in a spray can works amazing on wasps, not sure about bees. The wasps immediately drop to the ground and then die within about 1 second. If this same stuff worked for bees, a bigger container with a fog type dispenser could be the answer. I would think there would be a market if someone could come up with something like this! Even if it only killed 90% of the swarm, it could potentially reduce the number of stings to make an attack survivable.

Of course, you'd have to check with the government.... maybe there is a limit on how much of this stuff can be put in the atmosphere... or better yet, knowing our government, bees are probably a protected species! <rolling eyes>

[locolife]

WHY do people think that an easily accessible trail system or heavily used one is not prone to the same dangerous elements of remote hiking areas? That kind of false sense of security can get you into trouble in a hurry. ALL preserves are full of wildlife even the areas where we live can be full of wildlife. You're not going to be protected from everything no matter where you go. Be aware of your surroundings.

[AGA4233]

Originally Posted by Dewey59

The wasp killer stuff in a spray can works amazing on wasps, not sure about bees. The wasps immediately drop to the ground and then die within about 1 second. If this same stuff worked for bees, a bigger container with a fog type dispenser could be the answer. I would think there would be a market if someone could come up with something like this! Even if it only killed 90% of the swarm, it could potentially reduce the number of stings to make an attack survivable.

Of course, you'd have to check with the government.... maybe there is a limit on how much of this stuff can be put in the atmosphere... or better yet, knowing our government, bees are probably a protected species! <rolling eyes>

I was thinking more like a personal smoker...whatever it is, it has to be compact, portable, and easily accessible. People should be able to hear the bees before it gets bad, unless they wear earbuds like me.

For sure, getting attacked has to be a traumatic experience and a horrible way to die. If it continues to happen, lots may quit hiking, especially families.