The aggressive behaviour of a colony of honeybees that fatally attacked Mayo beekeeper Kathleen Devine has been described as unprecedented.
As tributes to the well-known honey-maker and mother-of-three were being paid following her death on Monday, the Mayo Beekeepers Association said the incident had shocked the entire beekeeping community.
Ms Devine (73), a highly regarded former nurse, died after suffering a number of stings while tending one of her hives near Ballycastle in north Mayo on Monday.
Association member Helen Mooney offered her sincerest sympathy to Ms Devine’s husband, Des, and their family.
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In a statement, she described the deceased as a cherished member of the beekeeping community.
“This tragedy has shocked the entire beekeeping community across Ireland,” the statement said.
“Kathleen loved beekeeping and, along with her husband, Des, often helped and mentored other beekeepers.”
Ms Mooney noted that honey bees are not usually aggressive, “so for a colony to become this defensive is unprecedented”.
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“When removing the honey crop, one has to be careful, and sometimes we have to do these jobs in poor weather conditions.”
Ms Mooney said the bees were now being managed by club members.
“It is worth noting that this was not a swarm of bees, as that season has passed – swarms usually issue from strong colonies from mid-May often right into July, depending on the weather.”
She noted an outpouring of sympathy as news of Ms Devine’s death spread across beekeeping organisations in Ireland.
Ms Devine was remembered for her dedication to the craft of beekeeping as well as her attendance at shows across the country, where she and her husband won numerous prizes.
Her funeral is to take place on Friday at the Church of Christ the King in Knockmore.
