Killer Bees Death Reported In Texas; Struck A Hive That Hid 40,000 Africanized Honeybees

Killer bees death was reported in Texas after a 62-year old man hit a hive that housed about 40,000 Africanized honeybees with his tractor Saturday. A woman was listed in serious condition.

The killer bees death came after Larry Goodwin hit a hidden hive that had 22 honeycombs in it. The hive was hidden under a pile of wood from an abandoned chicken coop. The bees quickly covered Goodwin. The man’s family told the media that every inch of his exposed skin was covered with bee stings.

According to reports, Goodwin ran all the way to back to his house and sprayed himself with a garden hose. He was still unable to stop the attack. A neighbor called emergency services and fire department staff arrived quickly, but they were also attacked and stung by the bees. They tried to resuscitate Goodwin for 45 minutes, but he was pronounced dead at the scene.

A woman and her daughter were stung about 100 times when they tried to help. Neither woman has been identified. McLennan County Chief Sheriff’s Deputy Matt Cawthon told the Waco Tribune-Herald that the older woman was in serious condition.

Africanized honeybees are a highly aggressive hybrid of the Western and African honeybees. They reportedly arrived in the United States from Central America about 15 years ago. But they’ve been spreading fear long before they reached America after alarming reports of how they swarmed their prey in the thousands and earned them the nickname "killer bees."

Fewer than a dozen people have been killed by the bees in the U.S., according to authorities. Anecdotal evidence shows that they are proliferating rapidly. Two and a half months ago, emergency crews were called after thousands of the bees swarmed inside a family's home in Wichita Falls, Texas.

Africanized bees are known to be deadly if someone is stung multiple times. It is believed that about 10 stings per pound of flesh is enough to kill a person. The Texas AgriLife Extension Service reports that eight people died from stings from the hybrid bees since 1990. Africanized honeybees have been known to chase victims up to a quarter of a mile while repeatedly stinging them.