Swarm of yellowjackets kill Kentucky man moving potting soil bag from porch
Beekeepers warn if you ever find yourself where bees are attacking you, the most important thing to do is protect your face and run indoors or get into a vehicle. Those who study bees' behaviors also warn not to fight the insects because they have the advantage of numbers and the gift of flight.
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HARLAN, Ky. – A 59-year-old Kentucky man is dead after he was stung to death by a swarm of yellowjackets on his front porch.
Deputy Coroner John W. Jones says the man was moving an old bag of potting soil from his porch in Harlan Monday afternoon when he was stung by the wasps from inside the bag. CPR was started by family and continued by paramedics and doctors until those attempts failed.
The coroner said that initial reports indicated it was bees, but the family later confirmed it was yellowjakcets
Family members also identified the victim as Mike Alford of Harlan, who was rushed by ambulance to a local hospital and later died from his injuries.
"Our heartfelt prayers go out to the entire family and friends," a post read on the coroner’s office Facebook page.
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FILE -- Eastern Yellowjacket Wasp (Vespula maculifrons) in Toronto, Ontario, Canada, on August 21, 2022. (Creative Touch Imaging Ltd./NurPhoto / Getty Images)
Face-to-face with a bee swarm
Beekeepers warn if you ever find yourself where bees are attacking you, the most important thing to do is protect your face and run indoors or get into a vehicle.
"Once the bees get riled up, the most important thing to do is run away as fast as possible. Do not try to retrieve belongings nearby. Do not try to stand still in an attempt to fool the bees. That may work with a snake under certain circumstances, but honey bees won't be impressed," states the University of Arizona's College of Agriculture and Life Sciences in an online information sheet.
Those who study bees' behaviors also warn not to fight the insects because they have the advantage of numbers and the gift of flight.
"The more you flail your arms, the madder they will get. Just run indoors as fast as possible," the British Beekeepers Association reports.
The normal top speed of a worker would be about 15-20 mph, when flying to a food source, and about 12 mph when returning laden down with nectar, pollen, propolis or water,
If you are allergic to bees, you should have an EpiPen with you at all times when you are outdoors.