An Arizona man has sadly died after a swarm of bees attacked him. The incident happened at a golf course in Arizona where the man worked. Although bees are small, they can be deadly in swarms as this case shows.
In late June, groundskeeper Rick Messina was mowing the area near hole 8 at Pusch Ridge Course, part of El Conquistador Golf Club in Oro Valley. That's when he was stung by a swarm of bees. Following the incident, beekeepers inspected the property, but they didn't find any bee hives or activity. They believe it was a traveling swarm. He was just 57 years old. He had worked for the company since 2022.
"It appears Rick was attacked by a traveling swarm of bees," El Conquistador Golf Club said in its statement to USA TODAY.
After his death, the company sent out a statement. They said he died from "complications from the bee stings."
Bee Swarm Kills Man
"Rick was a dedicated and cherished member of our team, known for his exceptional work ethic, positive attitude, and unwavering commitment to his duties," the statement read. "El Conquistador Golf and Indigo Sports has deployed support resources to both Rick's family and our team to help all navigate through this difficult time."
Experts in the area say that summer is "peak season for bee swarms." In fact, this is not the first case in Arizona this year. Earlier in May, the insects caused a delay in the Arizona Diamondbacks game against the LA Dodgers. The insects had gathered at the net behind home plate.
