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March 10, 2011 (Alpine) – A gardener working behind Alpine Pizza and Pasta in the vicinity of Alpine Blvd. and Arnold Way yesterday shortly before 10 a.m. was attacked by an "aggressive" swarm of bees and stung repeatedly on the head and neck, Alpine Fire Chief Bill Paskle reports.
In an interview with Angela Brookshire at the Alpine Community Network, Paskle said Alpine firefighters transported the patient to a local hospital. No updates are available on his condition. Firefighters subsequently found a bee hive in the eave directly above where the landscaper was working, as well as as econd hive in an oak tree about 100 feet away.
"The bees were very aggressive and flying into the firefighters, as the bee expert put it, `pinging' the firefighters," Paskle reported. Fire officials closed off the area and advised the property owner, who contacted a local bee removal company.
Bee experts arrived and attempted to exterminate the first hive, killing the majority of bees. One of the bee experts became ill from breathing in pesticide used on the bees and he was also transported to a local hospital. Bee experts planned to return last night and this evening to finish off the remaining bees, Paskle said.
Dan Wasson, a professional bee removal expert, said noise from a weedeater may have startled the bee colony, Channel 8 news reported.
Despite numerous media reports of Africanized bees, chief Paskle said that has not been determined. "The only way to determine that is to send a bee to an entomologist for a finding. We did not do that," he said, adding that Africanized bees have been in San Diego for many years now. "Everyone should use caution around any bee hives and not disturb them."
Africanized are virtually indentical in appearance to ordinary honey bees, but are far more aggressive.
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