Busch Gardens Facing Terrifying Bug Infestation, All Guests Warned
Recent guests have a warning for prospective visitors of Busch Gardens Tampa Bay.
For decades, Busch Gardens Tampa Bay has blended world-class thrill rides with up-close animal encounters, creating a unique hybrid of theme park and wildlife experience. The park is known for its African-inspired theming, sprawling savanna exhibits, and an impressive lineup of roller coasters, including Iron Gwazi, SheiKra, and Falcon’s Fury.
But just like all theme parks, Busch Gardens Tampa Bay has had to overcome its fair share of obstacles over the years. Earlier this summer, the park was forced to reinstate its chaperone policy after a planned teen takeover event went viral on social media. A version of the event in 2024 led to a brawl at the park.
Also in June, a guest’s experience at the theme park went viral after a phone flew into their face while riding Iron Gwazi. This followed another viral video in 2023 in which a young child appeared to nearly slip out of her seat while riding Scorpion, which permanently closed in 2024.
Busch Gardens Tampa Bay has also faced financial concerns in the past. In late 2024, it was reported that the park had experienced a 3.1% decline in net income in its most recent earnings report. Also, it was reported that two Tampa-area construction companies had filed liens in Hillsborough County, claiming that the park owed them a combined total exceeding $3.1 million.
Now, the park is facing claims of a whole other kind of problem.
Is Busch Gardens Experiencing A Wasp Issue?
Recent visitors to the Tampa theme park – which also boasts a location in Williamsburg, Virginia – have claimed that the park is experiencing a full-blown wasp infestation in recent weeks.
“The top of the lift hill of Iron Gwazi is infested with a huge wasp nest,” claimed one guest on Reddit. “I saw more than 2 dozen today and it was terrifying.”
The same guest claimed to have seen others sharing similar concerns, with others soon chiming in to double down on the claim. “I worked at Iron Gwazi a little while ago trying best to make the place better but the culture of poor ethic and bad operation infests the place,” another user said. “I say this because, they more than know about the wasps and do not care.”
Iron Gwazi isn’t the only area impacted. Another Reddit post complained about the wasp (or bee) situation around the soda fountains, where employees allegedly only shrugged once told about the issue. “I said you aren’t even warning people. What if one of those kids is allergic? You can’t see the bees until you’re up there,” they said. “Blank stare. I had to ask 3 times to speak to a manager. She leaves to get one. 10 minutes later I leave because no one came back.”
Some have allegedly already been stung at the park.
“I was stung in the face (upper cheek) by a wasp on SheiKra just after the splashdown and it felt like getting smashed in the face with a baseball bat (figure you’re going about 50mph or so at that point),” one parkgoer wrote. “Naturally that sucker exploded on impact, but I was still pulling a stinger out of my face in the station.”
Another said, “I got stung in the face walking near Cheetah Hunt with my daughter. It was directly below my eye. This was about a month ago.”
The situation has apparently become so severe that some guests will no longer visit the park. “They are the reason I stopped going to BGT,” one former parkgoer wrote. “Wasps are my phobia so they make it so I am incapable of enjoying my favorite coaster in the state. Such a terrible shame.”
Have you noticed a wasp issue at Busch Gardens Tampa Bay?
