Trapped by Killer Bees: A Real-Life Adventure in the Peruvian Andes > Likes and Comments
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Gary, that story about the cave really stayed with me. The thought of being trapped in the dark with Africanized bees is honestly terrifying, but what fascinated me most was that the same place where you nearly lost everything also led to a discovery that had never been documented in Peru. I’d love to know more about what that experience changed for you and how you saw the Andes afterward.
Kathryn, the experience certainly has been with me all these years mostly as an adventure story to be told to grandkids and a parties when things get a bit mundane. I became a bit more humble after that having escaped death and prevented others from dying. And given how uncertain life is, never take beauty, mystery or peace for granted.
Okay, I was NOT expecting this to turn into a killer-bee survival story 😂🐝. Exploring caves for rare bats is already adventurous enough, but having a swarm of Africanized bees come pouring out of the darkness?? I would have been gone before anyone could say “run!” 😭
And then somehow, after all that, you discovered two rare bats, including one never documented in Peru before?! That is incredible. Now I’m genuinely curious about what happened in those few terrifying moments inside the cave and how you managed to keep going after losing two pack animals. There has to be a much bigger story behind this experience. I’d definitely want to know more!
This was quite a story to read, Gary. I’ve been to Peru myself, and I can honestly say the Andes have a way of making you feel both small and completely alive at the same time. But being trapped in a cave by a swarm of Africanized bees is on a whole different level of adventure. I can only imagine what it must have been like in that moment, especially losing two of your pack animals. What really caught me, though, is that even after all that danger, you still came away with the discovery of two rare bats, including one never documented in Peru before. That says a lot about the unpredictability of the wild. As a family man, I look at adventures a little differently now, because you realize how precious life and the people waiting for you back home really are. I’d genuinely love to hear more about this experience and what went through your mind when you realized the bees were coming out.
Hafsa wrote: "This was quite a story to read, Gary. I’ve been to Peru myself, and I can honestly say the Andes have a way of making you feel both small and completely alive at the same time. But being trapped in..."
It all happened so fast that I didn't have time to think, just react. Once we realized that the bees were not going to chase us into the dark of the cave, we spent an hour or so trying determine how we would get out. Amazingly, the intensity of the swarm never abatted during that time so it was either be trapped or risk the stings. I ran to the front, grapped a shirt and kerosene, went back to the other three and told them to stick close to me and no matter what don't stop. I tied the shirt to a stick and lit it and started swirling it over my head while we ran to the front and climbed down the rocky entrance then ran to a creek a hundred yards down the hill. That's when we discovered the dead pack animals, which was such a horrific scene that I'll never forget it.
That line about the place that tries to break you also being the place that shows you something you’ve never seen really stayed with me. What an experience to carry all these years, especially knowing that such a frightening moment also led to the discovery of those rare bats.
Lyn wrote: "Okay, I was NOT expecting this to turn into a killer-bee survival story 😂🐝. Exploring caves for rare bats is already adventurous enough, but having a swarm of Africanized bees come pouring out of t..."
The rest of the story - publish scientific articles about bats in Peru and about biodiveristy along elevational gradients in the Andes. Good times.
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Kathryn
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Aug 21, 2026 07:54AM
Gary, that story about the cave really stayed with me. The thought of being trapped in the dark with Africanized bees is honestly terrifying, but what fascinated me most was that the same place where you nearly lost everything also led to a discovery that had never been documented in Peru. I’d love to know more about what that experience changed for you and how you saw the Andes afterward.
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Kathryn, the experience certainly has been with me all these years mostly as an adventure story to be told to grandkids and a parties when things get a bit mundane. I became a bit more humble after that having escaped death and prevented others from dying. And given how uncertain life is, never take beauty, mystery or peace for granted.
Okay, I was NOT expecting this to turn into a killer-bee survival story 😂🐝. Exploring caves for rare bats is already adventurous enough, but having a swarm of Africanized bees come pouring out of the darkness?? I would have been gone before anyone could say “run!” 😭And then somehow, after all that, you discovered two rare bats, including one never documented in Peru before?! That is incredible. Now I’m genuinely curious about what happened in those few terrifying moments inside the cave and how you managed to keep going after losing two pack animals. There has to be a much bigger story behind this experience. I’d definitely want to know more!
This was quite a story to read, Gary. I’ve been to Peru myself, and I can honestly say the Andes have a way of making you feel both small and completely alive at the same time. But being trapped in a cave by a swarm of Africanized bees is on a whole different level of adventure. I can only imagine what it must have been like in that moment, especially losing two of your pack animals. What really caught me, though, is that even after all that danger, you still came away with the discovery of two rare bats, including one never documented in Peru before. That says a lot about the unpredictability of the wild. As a family man, I look at adventures a little differently now, because you realize how precious life and the people waiting for you back home really are. I’d genuinely love to hear more about this experience and what went through your mind when you realized the bees were coming out.
Hafsa wrote: "This was quite a story to read, Gary. I’ve been to Peru myself, and I can honestly say the Andes have a way of making you feel both small and completely alive at the same time. But being trapped in..."It all happened so fast that I didn't have time to think, just react. Once we realized that the bees were not going to chase us into the dark of the cave, we spent an hour or so trying determine how we would get out. Amazingly, the intensity of the swarm never abatted during that time so it was either be trapped or risk the stings. I ran to the front, grapped a shirt and kerosene, went back to the other three and told them to stick close to me and no matter what don't stop. I tied the shirt to a stick and lit it and started swirling it over my head while we ran to the front and climbed down the rocky entrance then ran to a creek a hundred yards down the hill. That's when we discovered the dead pack animals, which was such a horrific scene that I'll never forget it.
That line about the place that tries to break you also being the place that shows you something you’ve never seen really stayed with me. What an experience to carry all these years, especially knowing that such a frightening moment also led to the discovery of those rare bats.
Lyn wrote: "Okay, I was NOT expecting this to turn into a killer-bee survival story 😂🐝. Exploring caves for rare bats is already adventurous enough, but having a swarm of Africanized bees come pouring out of t..."The rest of the story - publish scientific articles about bats in Peru and about biodiveristy along elevational gradients in the Andes. Good times.