Swarm of bees emerges from underground, stinging man 100 times, Arizona officials say

A massive swarm of bees flew out from under a road and stung a man more than 100 times, leaving him and another person hospitalized, Arizona officials said.

The man was walking down a road in Scottsdale when thousands of bees emerged from underground and attacked him, according to AZ Family.

The bees stung the man more than 100 times, according to Fox 10. He was in critical condition when officials took him to the hospital, ABC 15 reported.

“That’s very serious,” beekeeper Dan Punch told AZ Family. “Depending on the sensitivity to bees, that could be a terminal situation.”

A person’s reaction to bee stings can range from pain to a severe allergic reaction. If a person is stung more than a dozen times, however, it can create a toxic reaction, according to the Mayo Clinic.

“If you get stung more than a dozen times, the accumulation of venom may induce a toxic reaction and make you feel quite sick,” the Mayo Clinic said.

Another man was also sent to the hospital after getting stung by the swarm, according to Fox 10.

Steve Gluskin told 12 News he was stung by the same bees when trying to help the other man.

“The minute I got out of the car, I started getting attacked,” Gluskin told the news outlet. “All of a sudden it just attacked me on my face. I thought I hit a tree.”

Bee experts said there could have been thousands of bees in the hive.

“They are literally going to cover your face, your nose, your mouth, and that’s where they’re going to sting,” Chad Little, co-owner of Urban Desert Pest Control, told ABC 15.

The hive was under a manhole on the road, according to ABC 15. Firefighters sprayed it down with foam to help reduce the threat that the bees attack again, AZ Family reported.

This story was originally published September 29, 2021 at 9:43 AM with the headline "Swarm of bees emerges from underground, stinging man 100 times, Arizona officials say."