Incident Record
Earth-mover operator clearing path at farm lot disturbed hidden hive; swarm pursued and killed him
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.
Record ID: PR-RINCON-1998-0518
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.
Date
1998-05-18
Location
Rincón / Carr PR 4412 Bo. Jagüey, Rincon County, PR
State
PR
Record Type
Occupational Incident
Trigger / Activity
Farm / Ranch / Field Work
Severity
Fatality
Bee ID Status
Bee ID Unknown
Aggression Classification
Outdoor-work defensive bee attack / hidden-colony disturbance
Incident Summary
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.
Public-Safety Lesson
Brush and shrub disturbance by heavy equipment can trigger pursuit attacks; operators need enclosed cabs or immediate retreat plans when clearing overgrown areas.
Impact Flags
Human Fatality
Yes
Human Hospitalized
No
Animal Fatality
No
Responder Involved
No
Source Information
Source: OSHA
Source Strength: A - Official / Government