Incident List

Scottsdale fire officials found a swarm in a utility box after a passing man was attacked and taken to the hospital.

A 60-year-old lawn care worker was hospitalized after being repeatedly stung while cutting grass near the Patrick Air Force Base flight line. Firefighters found him sitting on the ground swarmed by bees and hosed the bees away before transport.

A 66-year-old man was fatally attacked after disturbing a hive while mowing near an abandoned building; police moved him from the swarm, but he became unresponsive and later died.

Two pedestrians were completely covered head-to-toe by a migrating swarm of Africanized bees along a remote stretch of Highway 191. Deputies and firefighters were stung repeatedly during the rescue; one victim was found unresponsive and drooling. Both men were treated and released from a local clinic. Officials found no hive at the scene the next day, confirming it was a traveling swarm rather than a defended nest - the fire department's earliest and most aggressive swarm encounter of the year.

A hive blew from a tree and struck a woman near a home day care in Tempe; rescue crews evaluated her after 20 to 30 stings.

A mother taking outdoor family photos with her two children in the Buckeye Valley area was swarmed by bees. She immediately put both children inside their SUV, absorbing the brunt of over 75 stings herself. The children's grandmother's panicked 911 call was released by the agency. Firefighters extracted the children from the bee-covered vehicle using foam; both children were unharmed, and the mother recovered after hospitalization.

A Torrance family returned from church and found their 6-year-old dog covered with bee stings and convulsing in the backyard. CBS/AP reported the dog died minutes later near a hive under an eave; a removal expert estimated about 25,000 bees and said Africanized status was unknown.

Marcelina Sanchez died after being attacked by bees outside a home in east El Paso. KFOX reported she was taken to the hospital with serious injuries, and family later confirmed her death.

A bee incident near La Canada and River in Tucson injured eight people and sent two to the hospital with life-threatening injuries. Follow-up reporting described bees erupting from underneath a shed near a carport and covering a baby strapped in a car seat before family members rescued the child. Multiple fire agencies responded and used foam.

Two ranch owners were injured and hospitalized after trying to help three horses under attack by a dense swarm; all three horses died from numerous stings. Reports said officials suspected Africanized bees due to the aggressive behavior, but confirmation was not reported.

The Review-Journal reported that Scott Stromme was found dead May 10, 2025, and that family members questioned whether bee stings contributed. The coroner reportedly ruled natural causes. Family members said a beekeeper identified surviving bees as Africanized.

A 69-year-old hiker on Lone Mountain was hospitalized after being stung at least 300 times. Because he was in a remote area, a Las Vegas police search-and-rescue team used a helicopter to remove him from the mountain before he was taken to the hospital.

ABC15 reported that four dogs were attacked by a bee swarm off South Calle Polar in Tucson. One dog died, three were rescued and expected to survive, and Tucson firefighters used foam as a last resort to save the animals.

OSHA reported that two workers clearing ranch land by dragging a long anchor chain between two Caterpillar bulldozers knocked down a tree containing a hive; one worker died after about 30 stings and another worker who ran to help was hospitalized for multiple stings.

FOX 11 reported that three family dogs in Agua Dulce were rushed to Sweetwater Veterinary Clinic after a bee attack; two dogs died, one remained in critical condition, and the family later learned there were three large hives of Africanized honey bees in their trees.

An LAPD volunteer and another person were hospitalized after a swarm attack in Encino; a bee-removal professional described unusually aggressive behavior.

A homeowner discovered a hive in a fence and attempted to remove it himself after watching online videos. Bees pursued him, then broke toward a neighbor’s yard and attacked a dog named Chance. The dog was taken for emergency veterinary care and later died. A related ABC7 report says a professional remover told the homeowner the bees were Africanized.

A tree trimmer suspended in a tree was attacked by bees in Morgan’s Point Resort. A fire specialist and patrol officer attempted rescue and were also stung. Three people were transported to Baylor Scott & White Medical Center, with additional people reportedly seeking care later.

OSHA reported that an employee using a D-6 earth mover to clear a path at a farm lot disturbed a hive hidden in shrubs; bees pursued him about 100 meters and he died of multiple stings.

Franco Galvan Martinez, 53, was killed after disturbing a beehive while working in a tree at an Austin home. Reports say he was attached to a harness, kicked away the ladder during the attack, and remained suspended while co-workers were unable to reach him without being stung. Firefighters used hoses to clear bees, and Austin Code was assigned to inspect the property.

Multiple hikers were stung by bees on Camelback Mountain; FOX 10 reported one hospitalization and trail closures, while ABC15 reported contact with four people with minor injuries.

Jesus Cenobio Sonny Diaz was attacked while mowing in Brownsville after disturbing an Africanized honey bee colony in a pipe near the road. He reportedly received 18 stings and was treated and released.

John Fischer was attacked while riding a wheelchair-exercise bike with his dog; he was hospitalized for several days after more than 250 stings and the dog was stung more than 50 times.

A dog named Chance died after being stung hundreds of times when bees entered a neighboring backyard after a hive-removal problem.

A 38-year-old man in a rural East County neighborhood was attacked by a swarm and transported to Pomerado Hospital, according to Cal Fire information cited by Patch.

The Las Vegas Sun reported that one person was hospitalized and several more were potentially injured after a swarm of bees attacked them, according to the Clark County Fire Department.

Family/community statements described four family members attacked in a residential courtyard on Memorial Day, with one person reportedly receiving more than 100 stings and two Labrador retrievers killed. FOX 10 Phoenix also reported the Lake Havasu City killer bee attack as a warning to pet owners.

UPI reported that Africanized bees stung at least six people in a Tucson Foothills neighborhood and that pest-control workers removed a colony from an elementary school the same day.

Backpacker reported that the same day Alex Bestler was killed, a 51-year-old male was hospitalized in Phoenix after a bee attack.

Alex Bestler, a visitor from Louisiana, died after being stung over 1,000 times while hiking; responders reportedly had difficulty reaching him due to aggressive bees.

Carlos Amos, 81, was hospitalized after being attacked while mowing at his Maysville home. KOCO reported more than 200 stings and a broken hip after he fell while trying to escape.

KGUN 9 reported that a man was airlifted to a local hospital from the Sahuarita area after a bee attack; details were limited and attributed to the Pima County Sheriff’s Department.

Ranch owner Bruce Harrison, 54, was found dead near a tractor/shredder. Fort Bend County officials said he appeared to have been trying to escape or swat bees when he fell, and he had multiple bee stings and lacerations from the shredder.

CBS Austin stated that seven people were hurt in a bee attack at a South Austin park on May 29, 2023. Needs original incident article or official source before merge. Marked public-visible preliminary because the event appears real but one or more details remain pending.

A Fayette County man was critically injured after a 911 caller reported him lying on the ground being attacked by bees on Plum Main Street. Responders and another person also suffered stings or dry-powder exposure, and the victim was flown to Dell Seton Medical Center.

Arkansas public materials and public reports state that Africanized bees were first discovered in southwestern Arkansas near Brightstar in Miller County in June 2005.

Larry Goodwin, 62, was killed after disturbing a hive while working land near Moody; reports said a woman who tried to help was also stung and the colony contained Africanized honey bees.

Three people were hospitalized after bees became aggressive while a resident was mowing; the swarm reportedly chased people for at least 100 yards and a responding firefighter was also hospitalized after being stung.

A bee swarm interrupted Sierra Madre Middle School’s graduation ceremony at Pasadena High School. Reports say a hive in a sprinkler vault was disturbed, dozens may have been stung, firefighters used foam, and four people needed paramedics though no one required hospitalization.

Africanized honey bees were first discovered in Arizona after a colony established in the roof of a Tucson house stung a small dog to death on June 6, 1993. The colony was examined by experienced beekeepers and federal and state scientists.

ABC15 reported four people including a Phoenix firefighter were stung; the firefighter was transported for an anaphylactic reaction and was stable.

A man in his 70s was hospitalized after being stung while trimming tree branches outside his home near downtown San Antonio.

A 91-year-old man died after he apparently disturbed a beehive while working in his backyard; the medical examiner listed toxic envenomization as cause of death.

A Bryan, Texas family reported that bees attacked and killed all nine chickens in their backyard flock within minutes. Jennifer Stavinoha told KBTX/CNN Newsource that she rushed outside after her husband texted that bees were killing the chickens and found most already dead, surrounded by bees. A local bee expert told KBTX the chickens may have been caught in territorial behavior between colonies. Bee ID should remain preliminary unless tested or confirmed by an authority.

A woman hiking Piestewa Peak in 115-degree heat was stung by bees and collapsed unconscious. A bystander who happened to have access to the hiker's EpiPen administered it, reviving her partially before Phoenix Fire's technical rescue team arrived and airlifted her off the mountain; she was stable but unable to hike down on her own.

Review-Journal reported that retired Metro police dog Mickey died and another police dog, Roy, was hospitalized after four dogs were attacked by killer bees at their handler’s home. The handler was also stung while trying to get the dogs out.

Oklahoma City firefighters responded to a broken-down semi truck hauling bees. High heat and lack of airflow reportedly led to bees swarming, and firefighters cooled the trailer with water while police assisted traffic.

A swarm of aggressive bees reportedly killed a 45-pound dog in a Boca Raton backyard while the family watched from inside.

Rick Messina, 57, was attacked by a swarm while mowing near the 8th hole; he was hospitalized and died June 27 from complications of bee stings.

Authorities reported that a central Florida woman was hospitalized and her two pugs died after a bee attack near a vacant lot in Martin County. Nearby lawn workers tried to help, and Martin County Fire Rescue transported the woman to a hospital; one dog died at the scene and the other at a veterinary clinic.