Support for LAist comes from
Audience-funded nonprofit news
Stay Connected
Audience-funded nonprofit news
Listen

Share This

News

Hundreds Of Bees Injured 2 People In Encino. Here's What To Do If You Encounter A Swarm

A bee perches on the end of a purple petal.
A bee collects pollen from flowers in Los Angeles. More flowers like these have boosted the bee population in L.A., which can lead to more feral bee swarms.
(
Chris Delmas
/
AFP via Getty Images
)

With our free press under threat and federal funding for public media gone, your support matters more than ever. Help keep the LAist newsroom strong, become a monthly member or increase your support today. 

A swarm of bees attacked two men in Encino on Tuesday, sending one to a hospital with multiple stings. The LAPD confirmed the man hospitalized was on of the department's volunteers.

Encountering a frightening and aggressive bee swarm is rare, but a larger than usual bee population should make Angelenos aware of how to protect themselves.

Why are there so many bees buzzing around?

The heavy rains from earlier this year have bolstered plant life, meaning more food to boost a growing bee population. More bees means a greater possibility of feral bee swarms.

Support for LAist comes from

While bees are not inherently aggressive, they will become defensive if they need to protect their hives from people whom they view as predators.

What to do if you’re caught in a swarm

Avoid swatting around or running in circles. Instead, you should cover your face and immediately take shelter indoors or in a car.

If you do get stung, "you want to scratch it out with a fingernail instead of pinching the venom into you,” said Brooke Ashurst, a third generation bee-keeper from the Imperial Valley.

If you come across bees buzzing around you, he added, there's a hive nearby — so steer clear.

Some additional advice from James Nieh, a professor of ecology, behavior and evolution at UC San Diego, who spoke to NPR about the attacks:

Support for LAist comes from
Run away as fast as you can. Don't cover your face, because you won't be able to see where you're going. And don't play dead, because bees are attracted to the alarm pheromone left by other bees' stingers and may continue to sting you anyway.

"You can actually outrun them — especially if you're motivated — when you're being stung," he said. "You cannot play dead and escape bees. That's actually the worst thing to do."

Bees are attracted to dark areas such as hair, Nieh said, which is why they'll sting you around your head and why beekeepers wear white suits and footwear.

At LAist, we believe in journalism without censorship and the right of a free press to speak truth to those in power. Our hard-hitting watchdog reporting on local government, climate, and the ongoing housing and homelessness crisis is trustworthy, independent and freely accessible to everyone thanks to the support of readers like you.

But the game has changed: Congress voted to eliminate funding for public media across the country. Here at LAist that means a loss of $1.7 million in our budget every year. We want to assure you that despite growing threats to free press and free speech, LAist will remain a voice you know and trust. Speaking frankly, the amount of reader support we receive will help determine how strong of a newsroom we are going forward to cover the important news in our community.

We’re asking you to stand up for independent reporting that will not be silenced. With more individuals like you supporting this public service, we can continue to provide essential coverage for Southern Californians that you can’t find anywhere else. Become a monthly member today to help sustain this mission.

Thank you for your generous support and belief in the value of independent news.

Chip in now to fund your local journalism
A row of graphics payment types: Visa, MasterCard, Apple Pay and PayPal, and  below a lock with Secure Payment text to the right
(
LAist
)

Trending on LAist