During the crisp autumn weather, gathering a few like-minded hiking enthusiasts to climb scenic mountains and relax is supposed to be a delightful activity for both body and mind.
However, what sports enthusiast Mr. Lu never expected was that despite being usually strong and healthy, he was suddenly "taken down" by a swarm of hornets during a hike—not only completely disrupting his climbing plans but also nearly costing him his life.
A thumb-sized hornet knocks down a strong man
It turns out that early one morning, Mr. Lu, a member of the Suzhou hiking group "Eighteen Squads," participated in a Huashan hiking activity organized by team leader Captain Zhu. At 8:30 a.m., the group of seven started climbing up a relatively familiar "wild trail" on the southern side of Huashan. About half an hour later, they had reached the mountain’s mid-slope. Just then, a hornet about the size of an adult’s thumb suddenly flew out from the bushes. Mr. Lu, who was second in line, had no time to dodge and instantly felt a sharp pain on his forehead.
Upon hearing that Mr. Lu had been stung, team leader Captain Zhu, who was in the middle of the group, quickly ran over and saw a small sting wound on the left side of Mr. Lu’s forehead. "It’s nothing, just bear with it."
Although in some pain, Mr. Lu still planned to take a different path and continue up the mountain. But before long, he began experiencing symptoms such as dizziness, nausea, and difficulty breathing. "At that time, his eyelids were rolling upward, his whole body turned red, he kept convulsing, and he lost consciousness, almost falling to the ground."
"Having learned some basic outdoor first aid, my teammates and I started pressing his philtrum and continuously poured cold water on his head until he gradually regained consciousness," said Captain Zhu.
The other hikers quickly called emergency numbers such as 110 and 120, while Captain Zhu ran down the mountain and found two members of the local patrol team. Together, they helped carry Mr. Lu down from the mid-slope.
At that moment, several more hornets flew out from the bushes and stung the back of Captain Zhu’s head, though he did not experience the same severe reaction as Mr. Lu. Around 10 a.m., they finally arrived at the hospital.
Rescued within fifteen minutes, he escapes danger
Guo Ying, attending physician in the Emergency Department and Snakebite Specialty at Suzhou Traditional Chinese Medicine Hospital, told the Jinling Evening News that when Mr. Lu was brought in, he was in a state of shock. "Upon initial examination, the patient had chills all over, low blood pressure, was in the early stages of shock, and exhibited symptoms such as dizziness, nausea, and vomiting. Without timely rescue, his life could have been in serious danger."
After fifteen minutes of emergency treatment, Mr. Lu was finally out of danger, and doctors began administering detoxification therapy.
Until yesterday afternoon, Mr. Lu’s left forehead and eyes were still swollen and red. He mentioned that he had also been attacked by hornets outdoors 20 years ago, but at that time, he only experienced pain without any other discomfort.
Team leader Captain Zhu told the Jinling Evening News that the hornets that attacked them had a nest as big as a soccer ball, and the one that stung Mr. Lu was the largest and most toxic. "That hornet gave off the vibe of a queen bee, and with such strong venom, my buddy really suffered."
Captain Zhu explained that in their hiking activities over the past month, their team members have frequently encountered hornet attacks. "Five or six members have unfortunately been 'hit' already, but apart from the initial pain, none have shown other adverse reactions."
Wild hornet swarms are highly toxic
Attending physician Guo Ying told the reporter that since October, he has treated nearly 20 cases of people being stung or bitten by hornets, snakes, and centipedes. "As the weather gets cooler, hornets and snakes are about to enter hibernation. During this transitional season of crisp autumn weather, outdoor enthusiasts are gradually resuming activities they avoided during the intense heat. I treat several such cases almost every day. From recent cases, those who are stung or bitten in remote areas like desolate mountains tend to have more severe toxic reactions. Of course, individual constitution also plays a role—people with allergic tendencies often suffer more severe allergic reactions after being stung, which can even be life-threatening in serious cases."
Guo Ying stated that if a person is stung by a hornet, they should first observe the local wound. If there are only symptoms like swelling, the wound should be cleaned, and scratching should be avoided to prevent bacterial infection. If symptoms such as cold sweats, dizziness, or chills occur throughout the body, immediate medical attention is required. "Outdoor enthusiasts should avoid extremely remote areas when possible, and may also prepare some common anti-allergy medications before heading out."