Lucknow: A surge in deadly bee attacks across Uttar Pradesh has raised alarm among scientists and public health officials, with experts blaming the phenomenon on worsening climate conditions and ecological stress. Over the past three months, at least five people have died and dozens more injured in unprovoked bee swarms, as rising temperatures, erratic rainfall, and shrinking floral diversity push pollinators to a breaking point. These attacks, once considered freak incidents, are now being seen as an ominous reflection of an environment in distress. From farmers and morning walkers to government officials and construction workers, no demographic has been spared.
In April, 70-year-old Ravishankar Agarwal was fatally stung while on his morning walk in Kanpur’s Cantonment area. In a separate case, a farmer in Pilibhit died after a swarm descended on his field. Ballia, Sitapur, Etawah, Unnao, and Chandauli have all reported fatalities or mass stinging events—some involving up to 15 injuries at once. “This is not random aggression,” said Dr. Ankit Upadhyaya, an entomologist at Chandra Shekhar Azad University of Agriculture and Technology, Kanpur. “Bees are responding to starvation and stress. With heatwaves disrupting flowering cycles, nectar is scarce, and hives are turning hypersensitive.” Species like Apis mellifera and Apis cerana, once known for their mild temperament, are now displaying volatility even during feeding sessions. Researchers note that bees, especially the more aggressive Apis dorsata, are increasingly reacting to minor disturbances—construction noise, vehicle vibrations, or even human scent—as threats. “Just one sting from a dorsata can release alarm pheromones and summon an entire colony,” explained Dr. Akhilesh Singh, associate professor at Rani Laxmi Bai Central Agricultural University. “In this heat-strained ecology, a simple encounter becomes a life-threatening chain reaction.” The situation has become so severe that bees are now foraging far beyond their typical three-kilometre radius, straying into unfamiliar areas where human interaction is more likely. “We’ve documented cases where bees, disoriented and desperate for nectar, attacked people without defending a hive,” Singh said.
Climate data supports the trend. According to Dr. S.N. Sunil Pandey, a senior weather scientist, summer temperatures from March to May this year were six to eight degrees above normal, with heat persisting through the night. “This isn’t just human discomfort. The entire micro-ecosystem, including pollinators like bees, is suffering.” Even bees’ natural mechanisms to cool their hives—rapid wing movement generating airflow—are failing under extreme heat. “Their built-in air conditioning system is collapsing,” said a scientist at the Indian Institute of Pulses Research. The state is now mulling over recognizing bee attacks as a natural disaster, akin to leopard encounters.