TV Reporter’s Hair Gel Attracts Bee Swarm

A TV reporter’s hair gel apparently wasn’t sweet as honey to a hive of bees that swarmed around his head and stung him more than 30 times Tuesday.

KVEW reporter Mychal Limric, 24, was doing a feature story on the science of beekeeping when bees from a hive about 50 feet away suddenly swarmed toward him, KVEW-TV News Director Tom Spencer said.

Camerawoman Dao Vu and beekeeper Irv Pfeiffer tried to brush the bees off, then Pfeiffer slammed a protective hood over Limric’s head - which also turned out to be full of swarming bees, Spencer said.

Finally, Limric took cover in a vehicle and was treated at Kennewick General Hospital for more than 30 stings on the scalp and face, Spencer said. Limric wasn’t expected to have any lasting ill effects.

Spencer said Limric’s hair gel seemed the only logical catalyst for the attack, since the stings were mostly on his scalp. Vu and Pfeiffer, who weren’t wearing any gel, were standing next to Limric but were not attacked.