A mother has told how she dived on top of her five-year-old son to shield him from an aggressive swarm of wasps during a terrifying attack.
Jennifer Muscat, of Wormit, was out walking her dog in Morendy Woods when the wasps descended. Her first thought was to protect her son, Murdo.
The latest incident came to light following our story in Wednesday’s Courier, which revealed how St Andrews woman Susan Bruce’s dog was targeted by a swarm of wasps at Tentsmuir Forest.
Jennifer recalled how her maternal instincts took over during her horrifying ordeal.
She said: “It all happened so fast, there was no warning. It was like something out of a horror movie.
“I realised something was wrong when my son, who was walking three paces in front, started screaming like I have never heard him scream before and he started running away from me instead of to me.
“My motherly instincts took over and I just had to get him.”
Jennifer tackled Murdo to the ground and lay on top of him to protect him as the swarm attacked her and her boxer Frodo.
She said: “Both my son and I were hysterical. I got multiple stings in my legs and as I was brushing them off they got into my wellies.
“The dog was going crazy as they were at him as well as me.”
A passing dog walker came across them and helped to brush the swarm off then they ran away. Jennifer received several stings and had a bad reaction, while Murdo escaped with a few stings on his hands.
Frodo was also stung badly. The attack was the first time Jennifer has ever been stung and she is still on strong antihistamine medication.
She said: “My leg swelled up and felt like it was on fire. The doctor didn’t know how many stings I had.”
After the ordeal Jennifer recalled seeing a ‘mossy patch’ on the ground, which she believes may have been a nest.
She said: “My dog was walking in front, then my son then me. I don’t know if the dog disturbed something or if it had fallen from a tree.”
Although she used to walk in the woods every day she is now too scared to go back. She said she would like to see a warning sign put up to alert other walkers to the potential danger.
She said: “All I could think about was to protect my son and I am glad my daughter wasn’t with us as I don’t know how I could have covered them both.
“I know lots of people who walk their dogs in those woods and I want to make people aware.”