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Incident Record

Las Vegas exterminator dies after hundreds of stings during hive removal job

Jose Moreno Pacheco, a 49-year-old Las Vegas exterminator, died after being stung more than 200 times while working to remove a hive from a home. The initial attack caused life-threatening injuries, and firefighters in protective gear pulled him from the swarm site.

Record ID: NV-CLARK-2016-0804
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This record is part of a first-pass incident research dataset. Records, categories, and source notes may be updated as additional information is reviewed and verified.
Date8/4/2016
LocationColored Wind Avenue and Wispy Winds Street / southwest Las Vegas Valley, NV, Clark, NV, United States
CountryUnited States
State / ProvinceNV
Record TypeAttack / Stinging Incident
Trigger / ActivityBee Removal / DIY Control
SeverityHuman Fatality
Bee ID StatusBee ID Unknown
Aggression ClassificationAggressive Bee Incident / Hive Removal
Source Language

Incident Summary

Jose Moreno Pacheco, a 49-year-old Las Vegas exterminator, died after being stung more than 200 times while working to remove a hive from a home. The initial attack caused life-threatening injuries, and firefighters in protective gear pulled him from the swarm site.

Public-Safety Lesson

Removing defensive colonies without adequate protective gear can be fatal even for workers responding to a bee problem. Proper equipment and risk assessment are essential.

Impact Flags

Human FatalityYes
Human HospitalizedYes
Animal FatalityNo
Responder InvolvedYes

Source Information

Source: Las Vegas Review-Journal; KSNV News 3 Las Vegas

Source Strength: B - Established News Source