A family of five on an outing in an isolated spot by a stream were attacked by bees here. Mr. and Mrs. William Peterson died as the result of bee bites. Their three children were also attacked, one, Karen, age 12, severely. The local coroner, Dr. David P. Znac, speculated that both adults had allergies to bee bites, which can be fatal. About 30 deaths a year in the U.S. are attributed to bites from bees, wasps and hornets. What caused the bees to attack is not known. This was the beginning, barely noticed. Then the terror began to spread—terror that was to erupt into a national panic as the strange, seemingly purposeful murderous attacks of a new and vicious species of bees began to mount. Against this background, a band of scientists draw upon their knowledge to fight an enemy they only partly comprehend in a desperate race against time. Built around one of man's most haunting fears—that the forces of nature will overrun his defenses and exterminate the human race—The Swarm is a vividly imagined masterpiece of chilling adventure.