Bee Stings Can Kill Even the Non-Allergic

Bee stings can be fatal for those who are allergic to their venom, but even for those who are not allergic, bee stings can be dangerous. A 39-year-old Arizona man died last week as a result of receiving more than 300 stings from a swarm of Africanized bees, or so-called killer bees.

Charlie Pasley of Whetstone was helping his father, Chuck Pasley, work on the roof of his home when they both were attacked by a swarm of bees that had made a hive underneath the home.

Chuck rushed inside to get away, but Charlie stayed outside and tried to use a water hose to fight off the swarm. "He was lying on the ground completely surrounded by thousands and thousands of swarming bees," Angela Pasley, his sister-in-law, told KVOA television. "If anyone got close to where he was lying, they would attack."

"Whenever swarming bees are seen moving in and out of an area near a home, it's best to find shelter and call professionals to have them removed," said Liz Barta, of the Arizona Poison and Drug Information Center. The average person can tolerate between 4 to 10 bee stings per 10 pounds of body weight unless they are allergic to the insects, Barta told KVOA. A 150-pound person can only stand about 100 stings.