A fatal attack with no prior history of allergies
When the elderly man began cleaning the gravesite, he unwittingly disturbed a hidden hornet’s nest. The insects immediately launched a massive attack, deliberately stinging him in the head and face.
According to Dr. Otto Mizhik, who examined him, the man managed at first to call his relatives to inform them of the insect attack and his rapidly deteriorating health. However, immediately afterward, he lost consciousness and went into severe anaphylactic shock. What is shocking about this tragedy is that, according to his family, the man had no known history of allergies to insect stings or medications.
Rescuers’ Failed Efforts and Firefighters’ Intervention
Emergency services arrived at the scene immediately. Firefighters and paramedics fought to save the elderly man’s life, attempting to resuscitate him for over 45 minutes. However, despite the doctors’ best efforts, they were unable to save him.
After the tragedy, Fire and Rescue Service personnel had to secure the entire area to prevent any danger to other cemetery visitors. Wearing special beekeeping suits, they removed the nest and, as a precaution, sealed all the cracks in the grave—from which the insects were emerging—with construction foam.
Why Hornets Choose Tombstones
Martin Suvak, an expert in zoology at Pavol Jozef Šafárik University in Košice, notes that these insects readily seek out various sheltered natural or artificial cavities to build their nests. The empty spaces and crevices beneath heavy gravestones provide an ideal and safe refuge for hornets.
If a person unintentionally disturbs a nest, the insects release specific chemical signals that instantly trigger aggression in other individuals [Information provided by the Refresher portal]. In the event of a mass attack, experts advise not to hesitate and to flee as quickly as possible to a safe, remote area.
