Bee attack in Yuma harms family
Samuel Kirk
YUMA, Ariz. (KYMA, KECY) – A terrifying bee attack in Yuma has left a family shaken, two dogs dead, and multiple people recovering from serious stings.
On what began as a typical Tuesday morning, the Lujan family was feeding their dogs in their backyard when a swarm of bees suddenly descended on them. The aggressive attack sent several family members to the hospital and tragically killed two of their beloved pets.
“It was just so devastating, and we’re so shaken up from it,” Mario Lujan told 13 On Your Side. “It’s probably the worst feeling you could have—to be so helpless.”
Mario and his wife were stung repeatedly as they tried to rescue their dogs. They believe the swarm came from a hidden hive inside a trailer near their property.
By the time first responders from Rural Metro Fire Department arrived, the damage had already been done.
“When Rural Metro came, she was almost unconscious—soaking wet,” Mario said, referring to his wife. “They just put her on the gurney, and off to the hospital we went.”
Local beekeeping expert Nicole Burns says the extreme heat could be a key factor in the bees’ sudden aggression.
“Anytime it’s above 100 degrees, bees like to be at 95 degrees, so anything past that can make them very agitated,” Burns explained. “That’s when we see people calling us—whether they’re mowing their lawn or they don’t know they have a beehive in a tree.”
Burns also emphasized that bees typically don’t seek out trouble unless they feel provoked.
“They’re kinda just like a wild animal, like bears,” she said. “People can see them doing their own thing—leave them ‘bee,’ literally, is what I always tell people.”
The Lujan family says they are grateful their loved ones survived but are still processing the trauma and heartbreak from the attack.