Has anyone seen this? Thoughts?

SgtMaj · May 19, 2009, 01:41:43 AM

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/worldnews/article-1183894/Tourist-stung-500-times-bees-invade-French-art-gallery.html

I know that comes from a liberal source :roll: but I wonder if anyone else has seen that story. 500 stings in just one of the "victims" from a normal swarm seems like way too many to me... even if the people were panicking and swatting at them as they ran... I wonder if this is AHB... Hey, it made it's way to FL via cargo, maybe it's recently made its way into France the same way? Something just doesn't add up to me.

Kathyp · May 19, 2009, 02:04:32 AM

mail is not that bad. you are picking better sources. at least you get news from the mail, unlike the guardian, which is pretty much a rag.

abacab · May 19, 2009, 06:48:41 AM

It's legit and was reported in other french newspapers: 500 stings mainly on the face, neck and top of the head.
They said there were 3 known feral colonies in the vicinity. This year we have a high level of swarming and probably these people just crossed the way of a swarm, perhaps queenless for some reasons ... and got panicked, they didn't talk about AHB, but who knows.
Alan

Kathyp · May 19, 2009, 11:11:26 AM

we are having a strong swarm season also. wonder if that is in advance of some disaster? ;) 2012???????

Shawn · May 19, 2009, 11:58:20 AM

No swarming here in SE Colorado :'(. I didnt think swarms looking for homes were that easy provoked. I wonder if the girl that got stung the most didnt run and maybe just laid down and or didnt know what to do. I do feel sorry for her though.

Bee Happy · May 19, 2009, 11:59:34 AM

so far I've only seen the amazing (file?) pic. of a bee looking very much like
"you lookin' @me? - you lookin at ME?"

The English aren't particularly beloved even in the rest of the UK - and they were French bees....

SgtMaj · May 19, 2009, 10:45:31 PM

Maybe they were those black german bees that are supposed to be so aggressive.