Overview

• The siblings, aged seven and two, were swarmed on June 28 in Muding County while under their grandmother’s care near pine woods.
• Authorities identified the insects as Vespa velutina nigrithorax, commonly called yellow-legged hornets.
• Investigators found the beekeeper, surnamed Li, had raised the species for two years without notifying the forestry department, violating rules.
• Li was detained and released on bail, paid the family 40,000 yuan in compensation, and exterminated all hornets he kept.
• Regional officials ordered inspections of beekeeping operations and imposed a ban on farming yellow-legged hornets to prevent similar incidents.