Bee sting sends beekeeper to hospital

A man's passion for beekeeping nearly cost him his life after a bee sting resulted in a severe allergic reaction. The 62-year-old, who took up the hobby five years ago, experienced difficulty breathing within minutes of being stung on the face. Paramedics administered an adrenaline shot, which he believes saved him from a potentially fatal outcome.

Following the incident, he was given an EpiPen and advised to be cautious around bees, posing a challenge as the couple had integrated beekeeping into their lives, even selling honey at their coffee shop. Despite his wife's initial concerns and desire to discontinue, they decided to continue, with him taking a more supportive, less direct role.

He is among the 1% of the British population with a bee sting allergy, a condition that can cause airways to close and blood pressure to drop. He has since adopted extra safety measures and reduced the number of hives. Despite another hospitalization in October 2025 after a sting, his commitment to the hobby and supporting his wife remains.

To manage his allergy, he is commencing a three-year venom immunotherapy course. This treatment involves gradually increasing doses of venom to retrain his immune system's response. While the exact mechanisms are not fully understood, it is believed to alter the body's reaction to allergens.