A man in his 50s has died after a swarm of 150 bees turned on him when he stopped to urinate against a tree – not knowing it housed a dangerous hive.
The 56-year-old, identified as Fabio Mandingorra, was attacked by the winged insects at noon on Saturday at the intersection of Casiano Casas Avenue and Washington Street in Rosario, Argentina.
The city is some 186 miles northwest of the capital, Buenos Aires.
According to Spanish outlet El Observador, the bees attacked Mandingorra “within seconds”, stinging him on various body parts.
Speaking to the outlet, a neighbour who lives only a block from where the incident happened said: “We were watching television and heard the screams, so we went out and saw that the man’s face was covered with bees.
The owner of a nearby tire shop was among local residents who attempted to help Mandingorra after hearing his awful screams, but were targeted by the bees themselves.
“The man, in desperation, ran to the kiosk about 50 metres away, and the owner tried to help him by throwing water on him,” another neighbour said.
A total of six people, as well as police officers and gendarmes who arrived at the scene, were also stung, though none as severely as Mandingorra.
Mandingorra reportedly began convulsing just as members of Rosario’s Tactical Action Police (PAT) worked to disperse the swarm, with emergency services then able to approach and attend to him.
The man was rushed to Eva Perón Hospital in Granadero Baigorria in a critical condition. According to the outlet, he suffered anaphylactic shock and cardiorespiratory arrest, after which he was intubated and sent to an intensive care unit.
The victim initially showed slight improvement after being administered medication, but tragically, his condition deteriorated over time, with his death confirmed on Wednesday.
A shopkeeper who witnessed the horrific bee attack said: “I tried to get closer, but the bees’ stings were very painful. I can’t imagine the pain this guy felt.
“They were all over him; you couldn’t see his skin because of how many there were. I thought he had died; he stopped moving.”
Local authorities have said the hive has since been “eliminated”.
The risk of these kinds of swarm attacks increases in warm weather, which causes bee numbers to surge and spread around. The National Service for Agrifood Health and Quality (Senasa) has issued a series of recommendations advising citizens to avoid proximity to swarms and do the following if they encounter them. These include telling citizens to:
- Contact beekeeping associations, specialised groups or other organisations trained for swarm rescue.
- Communicate with provincial administrations. In some provinces, there is a register of swarm rescuers available in urban and suburban areas.
- Consult with local authorities such as municipalities, delegations, fire brigades or civil defence if encountering swarms in inhabited areas.
The recommendations aim reduce the risk of attacks like the one in Rosario and protect humans and bees, which play a crucial role in the ecosystem, as per Argentine tabloid Perfil.
