Mrs Honeycombe stung over 60 times by swarm of enraged bees

A multitude of ‘furious’ bees attacked Mrs Honeycombe, causing her to be hospitalized after being stung numerous times.
During a horseback ride on a hilltop in St Ouen, Jersey, Caroline Honeycombe, along with her sister Jo Dawson and Jo’s eight-year-old daughter, fell victim to the aggressive swarm.
Mrs Honeycombe suffered more than 60 stings and had to be placed on a drip upon arriving at the Accident and Emergency department, while her niece also required treatment for multiple facial stings.
Although the other horses were frightened and bolted, Mrs Honeycombe’s pony, Blue, endured around 80 stings and also necessitated emergency veterinary care.
The bee attack occurred when a beekeeper was opening hives located nearby, estimated to house around a million bees, to inspect the honey in the combs.
According to St Ouen Constable Richard Honeycombe, Caroline’s father, the parish closed Mont Huelin on Wednesday evening, and the winding hill road will not reopen until Saturday in order to provide sufficient time for the relocation of the hives by beekeeper Nick Faulkner.
Constable Honeycombe also mentioned that he is unaware of the new location for the nine hives, but he has been informed that it must be at least three miles away to prevent the bees from returning to their original spot.

Blue, Caroline’s pony, was subjected to approximately 80 stings and urgently required veterinary attention
Blue, Caroline’s pony, was subjected to approximately 80 stings and urgently required veterinary attention (Picture: Wessex News)“Mr Faulkner arrived on Tuesday evening bearing honey jars. He was tremendously apologetic and exceptionally kind. He also assured us that he would gladly cover any expenses we incurred.
“Jo’s swelling has subsided, and Caroline is feeling significantly better, as is my granddaughter.
“The care provided by the Accident and Emergency department was outstanding, and I will be writing to the Minister of Health to express my sincere gratitude. The team there was incredible.”
After recovering from the traumatic event, Caroline recalled how her horse, Blue, was writhing in pain on the ground, while she desperately attempted to fend off the swarming bees.
“It felt as if I was surrounded by a beehive. They were extremely livid,” she recounted.
“The other ponies were in a state of panic and ran away, which at least removed them from danger. My horse kept trying to lie down. I was screaming, and my horse was leaping all over the place.
“Fortunately, I have experience riding racehorses, so I managed to stay on. The beekeeper was present and instructed us to move away, but Blue refused to budge.
“To his credit, he was very helpful. He seized hold of one of the reins, and if it hadn’t been for him, we might have lost the horse entirely.”

The bee attack took place as a beekeeper was opening hives nearby, which presumably housed around a million bees, to check on the honey in the combs
The bee attack took place as a beekeeper was opening hives nearby, which presumably housed around a million bees, to check on the honey in the combs (Picture: Getty Images)Eventually, Caroline managed to crawl away, but she was in excruciating pain and could see that Blue was visibly distressed.
Her young niece had suffered approximately a dozen stings around her head, and they both sought medical attention at the Accident and Emergency department.
Jo, Caroline’s sister, disclosed that her daughter is now physically fine but still feels exhausted and emotionally shaken by the ordeal.
This is not the first instance of people and animals being attacked by bees from the group of hives located on Mont Huelin, stretching from L’Etacq to Route de la Villaise.
One possible explanation for Monday’s attack is that the beekeeper was extracting honey from the hives, which instigated the bees’ natural aggression, and they noticed the dark-colored horses.
Bees are predisposed to defend against dark-colored creatures, such as bears and badgers, which pilfer their honey in the wild.
A dark-colored dog is more likely to be stung than a lighter-colored canine.
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First appear at Mrs Honeycombe stung more than 60 times by swarm of ‘angry’ bees

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