Posted on 09/21/2023 9:57:19 AM PDT by Red Badger
A 59-year-old man died on Monday after he was stung by a swarm of bees, a Kentucky coroner said.
The man, who has not yet been publicly identified, was moving an old bag of potting soil from his porch in Kentucky's Harlan County when the bees came out of the bag, Deputy Coroner John W. Jones said in a social media post. Family members started performing CPR and the man was rushed to an emergency room where he died just before 6:00 p.m. Officials have not said if the man was allergic to bees.
"Our heartfelt prayers go out to the entire family and friends," the coroner's office said, adding that the investigation is ongoing.
How common are deadly bee stings? A total of 788 people died from stings by hornets, wasps or bees between 2011 and 2021, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. The annual number of deaths ranged from 59, in 2012, to 89 in 2017.
Around 84% of deaths from stings occurred in males.
The average person can safely tolerate 10 stings per pound of body weight, according to the United States Department of Agriculture.
How to avoid being stung The USDA advises avoiding bee colonies by looking around and listening for the sound of buzzing. If you do find a colony, leave it alone — don't disturb or tease the bees. Don't try to remove the bees yourself.
Wearing light-colored clothing may help. Honey bees, one of several varieties that sting, may be aggravated by colors that remind them of their natural predators, such as bears and skunks.
Those wary of bee stings should also avoid strongly scented shampoos, soaps and perfumes.
What to do if you encounter aggressive bees If you encounter aggressive bees, the USDA advises running away quickly. While running, pull your shirt up over your head or use your arms to protect your face. The areas around your eyes, nose and ears should be protected.
Head toward an enclosed shelter, such as a vehicle or building. Do not jump into water as bees will wait for you to come up for air.
Avoid swatting at the bees or flailing your arms, which can aggravate the bees.
Call 911 to report a serious stinging attack.
How to treat bee stings Wash the site of a bee sting with soap and water, health officials with the CDC advise. Wipe over the area with gauze or scrape the area with a fingernail to remove the stinger. Do not squeeze the stringer or use tweezers.
Someone who's been stung can apply ice to reduce swelling. Avoid scratching the sting as this can increase swelling and the risk of infection.
Taking an antihistamine can reduce skin symptoms and taking pain medications, including acetaminophen and ibuprofen, can relieve pain, according to the Cleveland Clinic. Those suffering from a severe allergic reaction may need to use an epinephrine injector and visit an emergency room for treatment.
I HATE it when that happens.
So now.covid vaccines attract bees?
If they’re so dangerous, why are there no Oakland B’s?
I just cannot believe that you’d post such an obvious, lame, predictable, and boring meme such as that (before I was able to...)
boring and predictable is another way of saying reliable :)
“You’ll Never Leave Harlan Alive”
“The average person can safely tolerate 10 stings per pound of body weight, according to the United States Department of Agriculture.”
Wow. An 180lb man could tolerate 1,800 stings? That is quite a lot.
My motto for important deliveries is "Boring is Good". At one of my prior employers, we made a huge transition of 80,000 user accounts from a simple Python textual format on a tree structured UNIX filesystem to a Sybase database. It had to go perfectly. 180 individual steps. No room for error. The "boring is good" theme prevailed. Zero defects. The team wore t-shirts with "Boring is Good" with a big grin.
I know about this first hand. Hornets will continue striking the water trying to get at you. They are extremely determined.
Potting soil, geez.
"In Southeast Asia we'd call this type of thing.. bad karma."
I’m allergic to yellow jackets. I have an epipen just in case I’m stung again. The doctor has advised me to first treat with Benadryl and Pepcid AC, but if I need the pen, it’s there. So far the Benadryl and Pepcid AC has worked great for me.
How sad about what happened to this man. We never know when our time will come, do we?
As a five year old, I stepped on a ground wasp nest barefooted. According to my grandmoms who made a poltise for me, I was stung 8 times. I do recall walking on the Arc of my foot the next day.
‘Africanized honey bees’ are a deadly species that have now invaded N America. Gotta be very careful. There are some do’s and dont’s regarding what to do if attacked by a swarm.
“Do not jump into water as bees will wait for you to come up for air.”
What the? Are they bees or terminators?
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