Aggressive bees kill dog and attack beekeeper in Central Valley town

A colony of bees turned on their keeper, killed a dog and terrorized a Central Valley neighborhood Sunday.

The unexpected attack occurred just before 5:30 p.m. as the beekeeper tended to his hive, which he kept in the backyard of his home in the 2700 block of River Valley Circle in Ceres, according to police.

The 53-year-old man was wearing protective gear when the bees became agitated and stung him multiple times, police said.

After attacking their owner, the bees flew over a neighbor’s home and stung two large dogs, police said.

The bees then focused on the dogs’ owner, who had run outside his home to rescue his pets. The man was stung several times, police said.

One of the two dogs died as a result of the bee stings, police said. The beekeeper was also taken a hospital.

After tending to the stings, the Ceres Fire Department called in a professional beekeeper for help. Authorities decided to wait until dusk to remove the hive.

Meanwhile, officers went door-to-door and asked residents in the neighborhood to stay indoors.

“After sundown, it was determined the beehive was unsafe to move and the bees were euthanized to protect the public’s safety,” the Police Department said in a written statement.

A professional beekeeper later removed the hive.

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