Honey Bees Attack Bee Keeper

Occurred on August 27, 2016 / Balsam Grove, North Carolina, USA

Info from Licensor: "I had thought that honey bees are calm and peaceful as long as you aren't squishing them. The proper attire was out of my price range, and I figured I'd be fine with long sleeves and a veil. Unfortunately, bees can sting right through traditional clothing. They can also climb up sleeves and pants legs. I've since learned that a $15 tyvek suit and $2 nitrile gloves are a godsend. As I lifted, I had no clue there were frames stuck to the bottom. The angle of my view prevented me from seeing this. I was already getting stung when I saw the first frame hit the ground. By this point, I was in a panic. My thoughts raced and my body could not keep up. I thought 'Put it on the ground and damage hanging frames? No. Try to put it back carefully with bees landing stings? Ow! Put it on the ground and run! Now! Run!' I ended up in a pond for two hours while they stung my veil. Some made it under the veil somehow stinging my neck. I seriously thought I was going to die just because I wanted some pollinators and a little honey! When I thought they had calmed down, I went back to try and put the pieces back together. This time wearing several layers, a winter coat and a scarf. I received a few stings, but not nearly as many as they tried to dish out. For the next week or so, the bees attacked any dog, cat, chicken, or person that walked with 50 feet of them. My wife was stung as she hung laundry on the clothes line nearby. The bees eventually calmed down, and I was able to stave off another inspection until just before winterizing; however, this time, wearing a full body tyvek suit. They made it through the winter just great. However, they just swarmed and left last week."