A routine weekly garden clean-up at his in-laws’ home in Sunset Park recently resulted in a bee attack on Billy York, one of his workers and the death of two Labradors.
York, who is allergic to bees, was rushed to a doctor for treatment and has recovered.
The worker was not allergic to bees and escaped with a few stings.
It is believed the bees attacked when disturbed by the lawnmower and weed eater sounds and vibrations.
The bees had made a hive in a crack in a boundary wall and went unnoticed in previous weeks.
York told the Ridge Times, “Hundreds of bees swarmed me with every turn I made. There was nowhere to run.”
He said no matter how far away he tried to get from the colony, they followed him and swarmed his in-laws’ two dogs, Sam and Lola, trying to take cover under a tree and in a bush.
York said he struggled to reach the dogs while escaping the swarm attacking them from all directions.
“There was nothing we could do.”
Although he had been stung a few times before this, he said he had never experienced hundreds of stings.
“You can fight off a bee sting or two, but this was hundreds of bees swarming from all directions, and there is nothing you can do.”
His wife, Sarina York, at work during the attack, rushed to the house after receiving the call about the attack.
“The dogs were packed with the colony of bees, and it was hard to get to them,” said Sarina.
She said Sam took cover under a tree, and Lola lay motionless.
“My father got stung when trying to get to them. Fortunately, he is not allergic,” said Sarina.
She said her father tried spraying water, but it did not deter the bees. He then got hold of a lace curtain, hat and overall, covered himself with it, and lured the dogs away while spraying the water.
“It was a traumatic experience. It is an unstoppable force when bees start to attack.”
Sarina’s colleague, Estelle Pieterse, contacted Little Paws Big Hearts’ Louis Kempen, who rushed to the Labradors’ aid. The owner was still trying to get the bees off the dogs when Kempen arrived.
“It was terrible; just bees all over the dogs,” said Kempen.
She rushed both dogs to the Innovavet Veterinary Clinic for Dr Corné Viljoen to treat them. However, the stings were too severe, so he euthanised the dogs.
Expert and beekeeper Pieter Marè said the late seasonal rain makes bee colonies strong and dangerous and that the African bee is one of the most dangerous worldwide.
“If something triggers or bothers them, especially when it’s hot, it can be catastrophic, and they will not hesitate to sting. They will sting anything that moves, and their stings are deadly,” said Marè.
He said he has seen many cases where people was stung to death by the bees and he urged people to contact a professional beekeeper immediately when they see bee colonies in their garden.
In one of the cases he can remember, a man was stung more than a thousand times by bees.
“When people are stung by bees, they actually get a heart attack and do not know where they are.
“People and animals must try to get away as soon as possible, do not stand still.
“You can try to run in a zig zag format or run into bushes or a corn field, not in a straight line.
“Running zig zag will deter them from their course.
“If you take shelter in a vehicle, open the window a little bit and they will start flying out slowly.”
He advised people to run into their houses as bees always go to the sunlight.
“It is better if 20 bees sting you than thousands.”
He urged people not to be irresponsible or take any chances with bees.
According to Marè, if people put poison out for the bees, it will only aggravate the bees even more and the bees still continue to breed.
It is also important to seal a roof or place wherever the bees were taken out otherwise they will just move back or a different colony will move in.
“Bees must be relocated more than 6.5km from where they were removed, or they will return. Bees use the sun as a navigation system and know exactly where their colony and the entrance are.”
Marè said the best and safest time to work with the African bee is late afternoon.
Contact him at 079 130 3741 should you need a professional beekeeper.
