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Was driving on patrol when I see a big black male with his shirt off flinging it around and a gun on his hip. I only caught a quick glance as I was in traffic but definitely saw a firearm carrying open. First I thought he was enraged or mental or thought since OC law was signed today he could OC. Couldn't figure out why he was slinging his shirt around like a madman, again I only saw him for a second. By the time I turned around he was gone, I figured he saw me and ran as I was in my marked unit.

I called it in to local PD and stay in the area for contact. I see a swarm what I thought was yellow jackets (was later confirmed bees) swarming a Chevy dooley pulling a lawn care trailer full of equipment I also noticed a sit down mower in the middle of a high grass area about half mowed.

I pull up beside and see the subject, he cracks the window and says he has been stung by yellow jackets and pleads for help. I ask is he carrying a firearm and he confirms he has a CHL and took off his shirt to fight the bees. He then places his CHL on the window where I could see it. I told him to roll up his window and stay in the truck and I will get a fire engine here to take car of the bees.

So I call and request fire and ambulance to respond. Then I back way off and let the victim know through my PA that help is on the way. I couldn't get close to him without getting swarmed.

Once the ambulance shows up I made the mistake of getting out of my car more than 40ft away from the swarm. I thought it was safe, boy was I wrong. The paramedics got stung and I ran back to my car and fought a bee to the death for a minute inside my patrol car, I won.

A few firefighters got popped on the face spraying foam. Got the subject to the ambulance finally and got treatment. Definitely a call to remember. I have never seen bees that aggressive before. He and the few firefighters got treated and released. These bees seem to aim for your face as a couple tried with me and the FFers got stung there too. The FF finally put on full bunker gear and got his mower back on his trailer, funny sight.



Edit: Photobucket says its still processing the video, Ill get it working eventually.

Another easy day as a cop, right? At least all ended well for you though with no bee stings! Thanks for the story nightmare, sure made me laugh.

Sounds like Africanized bees. Glad you are OK.

How dare you harm the bees. The Bee Action Network will be organizing protests for the next week until this situation is resolved.

Some hives are more aggressive than others. I can mow near my hives MOST of the time - sometimes though I pull near the bee yard and they come out... Depends on weather, time of day, season, etc. I am glad everyone is okay - not fun to be the main subject of attention to an angry set of bees. I am sorry they had to be foamed, but while I love the bees (and the honey I get from them) I know people are more important. Sometimes you can't wait for someone to clear the swarm/hive. Typically a swarm is not aggressive as they have no home to defend. However, if they had an established hive nearby some can be VERY aggressive.

Thank you for your service Nightmare!

I wonder if they had a nest in the ground where he was mowing. Decades ago I was looking out the back door of my parents' home as my brother mowed the "back 40" and he suddenly abandoned the tractor and lit out toward the barn.

About 100 feet from the barn was an above ground swimming pool and he scrambled up the side and over the fence and tumbled into the water. I went out to see what was going on and all he would say was "Bees, Bees" as he came up for a breath and went back down. It took a couple of minutes to convince him they they had abandoned the chase, and then we took him to the doctor because he was reacting to the stings.

When my grandpappy and I went out to check the area, after first covering ourselves from head to toe, and face, with layers of cloth, we found a large hole in the ground right under the mower deck and it was absolutely "swarming" with bumblebees. I learned later that bumblebees will nest in the ground and that such colonies are actually "aggregations" or multiple nests close together, and that bumblebees are not particularly aggressive so they probably gavce up the chase long before my brother got to the pool.

My grandpappy got a jug of kerosene from the barn and we poured it into the hole(s) and forked the ground up for a couple of feet around and poured some more, and then we set the ground on fire.

You and the lawn care guy were lucky. An article I read some years ago stated that the majority of hives now found in Central and South Texas are indeed Africanized. Your statement that you were popped some 40 ft away makes me think that you encountered an Africanized hive. The African bees will integrate with European Honey bees and their genetics will quickly evolve the hive. I also read that these bees will even hang out over water that the victim has just jumped in waiting for the victim to come up for air.

Not Africanized bees.

Ground bees or hornets. There is nothing meaner or more aggressive. Anyone who has ever been unfortunate to deal with them will attest. They don't hit you like they are trying to sting you. They hit you like they are trying to drive the stinger all the way through your body and impale you to the closest object.

They are most commonly encountered when mowing fields or large properties.

Glad the story had a good ending.

Glad you're both OK. That could have been a much worse experience than it turned out to be.

jimlongley wrote:I wonder if they had a nest in the ground where he was mowing. Decades ago I was looking out the back door of my parents' home as my brother mowed the "back 40" and he suddenly abandoned the tractor and lit out toward the barn.

About 100 feet from the barn was an above ground swimming pool and he scrambled up the side and over the fence and tumbled into the water. I went out to see what was going on and all he would say was "Bees, Bees" as he came up for a breath and went back down. It took a couple of minutes to convince him they they had abandoned the chase, and then we took him to the doctor because he was reacting to the stings.

When my grandpappy and I went out to check the area, after first covering ourselves from head to toe, and face, with layers of cloth, we found a large hole in the ground right under the mower deck and it was absolutely "swarming" with bumblebees. I learned later that bumblebees will nest in the ground and that such colonies are actually "aggregations" or multiple nests close together, and that bumblebees are not particularly aggressive so they probably gavce up the chase long before my brother got to the pool.

My grandpappy got a jug of kerosene from the barn and we poured it into the hole(s) and forked the ground up for a couple of feet around and poured some more, and then we set the ground on fire.

My stepdad has run into those several times while shredding pastures. He just sits perfectly still and lets the tractor keep going straight and they leave him alone. They will attack the tires, the pto shaft, anything moving. I don't know if that would work with anything but bumblebees, but it is crazy to see.

They had a bee keeper come out late last night so I'll try to find out what type of bee this was. I've encountered bees before but these you couldn't get away from, no matter how far and fast you ran. They would go for your face and head also.

Here is another short video. Here you can see the area where the subject was mowing and his truck and trailer. I couldn't film for long because of the swarm.

I would have been a dead man without an epi pen or two.

mojo84 wrote:I would have been a dead man without an epi pen or two.

The subject's face was swelling including a eye. He ended up getting treated on site and went home. I am also allergic to anything that stings.

nightmare69 wrote:

mojo84 wrote:I would have been a dead man without an epi pen or two.

The subject's face was swelling including a eye. He ended up getting treated on site and went home. I am also allergic to anything that stings.

Be careful.

Bee lives matter....