Beijing, September 14: Two young siblings in China's Yunnan province died after being stung hundreds of times by wasps. Following this, the authorities charged a local beekeeper with negligent homicide. The authorities have also banned the farming of yellow-legged hornets.

According to the South China Morning Post, the tragedy unfolded on June 28 in Muding county when a seven-year-old boy and his two-year-old sister were attacked by swarms of yellow-legged hornets (Vespa velutina nigrithorax) while playing near pine woods. Their grandmother, who was tending to them, was also stung while trying to rescue them. China: Married Man Dies of Heart Attack After Sex in Hotel Room, Court Orders His Secret Girlfriend To Pay Over INR 7.5 Lakh in Compensation.

2 Siblings Die in Shocking Wasp Attack in China

The younger child, a girl, sustained more than 700 stings and died at the scene. Her brother, who suffered over 300 stings, was rushed to the hospital but succumbed the next day. “Their bodies were covered head to toe. No part was spared,” their father told SCMP.

The police traced the hornets to a farmer, identified only by his surname Li, who admitted to raising the species for their chrysalises, considered a delicacy in the region. Li had been farming the hornets for two years without notifying the forestry department, as required by law. China: 103-Year-Old Woman Dies After 80 Years of Waiting for Missing Husband; Family Vows to Continue Search.

He paid the grieving family 40,000 yuan in compensation but claimed he could not offer more. Li was briefly detained, later released on bail, and has since exterminated all of his hornets. In the wake of the children’s deaths, local authorities have banned the farming of yellow-legged hornets and ordered inspections of all beekeeping operations across the region to prevent similar incidents.

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