SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA / A news summary : The Local Review / DEVELOPMENTS IN LOS ANGELES COUNTY : Former Beekeeper Stung More Than 50 Times
An elderly man who was a longtime beekeeper was stung about 50 times by bees Tuesday and taken to a hospital, where he was unconscious and on a respirator, authorities said.
Virgil Foster, 83, was attacked by some of the bees he kept in his backyard when he bumped their quarters while mowing the lawn at 4803 Autry Ave. about 2 p.m., said Long Beach Fire Department spokesman Wayne Chaney.
Foster’s son, Kevin, was stung about 15 times when he dragged his father inside and called paramedics, the spokesman said. Some of the bees even followed the paramedics when they took Foster to Lakewood Regional Hospital, the spokesman said.
About 10 of the dead bees have been given to county and state officials to determine whether their wingspan and DNA match those of Africanized bees, which are extremely aggressive, Chaney said.
Kevin Foster said his father had been a beekeeper for 60 years. He said his father had quit beekeeping some time ago, and had only recently started keeping bees again. He added that his father may have had as many as 1 million bees.
Chaney said the county Health Department eradicated the colony.
Start your day right
Sign up for Essential California for news, features and recommendations from the L.A. Times and beyond in your inbox six days a week.
You may occasionally receive promotional content from the Los Angeles Times.
