Hundreds of Bees Flood L.A. Neighborhood: ‘Dozens of Bee Stings’

Residents of the Los Angeles neighborhood Encino were shocked after hundreds of bees swarmed the neighborhood, leaving at least two injured — one of whom walked away with “dozens of bee stings.”

The swarm, which one individual described as a “cloud of hundreds of bees,” was reported around 3:47 p.m. The bee removal company All Valley Honey & Bee’s Izak Kharrazi said the bees appeared “mad as could be.”

“There is like a cloud of hundreds of bees over there,” Kharrazi said. “I said, ‘oh boy’… that’s why right away I put my gear on, because I can see them.”

He added that the behavior exhibited by the bees was not normal either.

A video shows a volunteer Los Angeles Police Department (LAPD) officer in the middle of the bee attack, attempting to swat away the bees. He eventually loses his balance, falling to the ground.

“A cloud of hundreds of bees” swarmed an L.A. neighborhood on Monday, sending two people including this volunteer police officer to a local hospital. @kcalnews captured the moment the officer was attacked by the swarm and got “dozens of bee stings.” https://t.co/TKbyZbDPTn pic.twitter.com/CzIq3x04Ty

— CBS News (@CBSNews) May 16, 2023

A man collapses to the ground after he was attacked by a swarm of bees in Los Angeles' Encino neighborhood. MORE: https://t.co/24dIYKOE41 pic.twitter.com/rQuAkfLKDX

— FOX 11 Los Angeles (@FOXLA) May 16, 2023

According to reports, he received dozens of bee stings and was treated at the hospital. He is currently in stable condition, according to LAPD.

“One of our LAPD Volunteers assigned to West Valley Division sustained dozens of bee stings earlier today while assisting with a call for service. Fortunately he’s in stable condition at a local hospital,” LAPD HQ said in an update.

Wishing him a speedy and full recovery. We thank him for volunteering to protect and serve. All of our LAPD volunteers are invaluable.

— LAPD HQ (@LAPDHQ) May 16, 2023

Another individual was injured with what CBS News described as “multiple bee stings,” and others were apparently stung too, including local resident Jerry Spotts, who said he got “hit right in the lip.”

The bee swarm is suspected to be related to a hive connected to a home in the neighborhood. According to ABC 7, “Some reports indicated there may have been thousands of bees involved in the swarm.”