There are certain birds that devour bees, but the case of a human bee-eater must be considered as a novelty. Gilbert White, the celebrated naturalist of Selbourne, is the authority for a curious account of a boy bee-eater. He was a farmer's son of weak mind, who showed an extraordinary propensity for bees, which he ate, and evidently throve on this extraordinary diet. He would sit moping or dozing by the fire during the winter months, but as soon as summer came he was on the alert, roaming over fields and sunny banks in quest of bees. He would deftly seize the insect with his fingers, and, disarming it of its weapon of defence, would suck the body to extract the honey. He was naturally regarded by the farmers with enmity; for, stealing into their gardens, he wrought havoc among their bees. He would tap a hive with his fingers, and on the bees emerging would seize them, evidently with entire impunity. He has been known even to overturn the hive in order to gratify his passionate desire for honey. The lad is described as a veritable merops apiaster. Bees, bumble bees, and even wasps were the victims of his strange voracity. When metheglin was being made, it was his delight to be present and to be favoured with cups of what he called beewine. Removing to a distant village, he died before reaching manhood, evidently from natural causes, instead of being stung to death by some infuriated swarm of bees or wasps in defence of their lives.
The Irish Times, November 28th, 1930.