World of the Bizarre

Man stung 160 times as wasp swarm follows him into his house

By T.K. Randall
August 21, 2024

Image: Vespula Germana Wasp (illustrative)
Credit: Richard Bartz / CC BY-SA 2.5 (adapted) Getting stung by a wasp can be a painful experience at the best of times, so spare a thought for this unfortunate 57-year-old from Wales who found himself besieged by a huge swarm of the insects.

The nightmare began when a local farmer inadvertently disturbed a nest in a nearby field, prompting the swarm to target Powell who was out the front of his own house at the time.

Without warning, the insects began to sting him repeatedly, forcing him to retreat inside.

Unable to shake them, he even tried sheltering in his shower but even that wouldn't stop them.

"I stumbled about the front of the house and into the shower, but they followed me in, and stung me through my clothes in the shower," he said. "The bathroom was full of them."He ended up being stung 160 times, including 15 times in the back of the head.

Fortunately, he was able to raise the alarm and his friend drove him to a nearby hospital.

"I was dropping in and out of consciousness," he said.

"All I could see was a white light and I thought 'here we go'."

Nurses quickly administered adrenaline, morphine and co-codamol for the pain.

"If it wasn't for that unit in Brecon and those two wonderful nurses on Sunday night, I wouldn't be here now," he said. "If they hadn't [helped me], then I'd be dead."

Source: BBC News

Tags: Wasps