A man in Arizona is in critical condition after reportedly being stung more than 100 times while hiking a mountain trail on Saturday.
The victim, reportedly in his 30s, was one of several people who were attacked by bees while hiking Lookout Mountain.
Local fire officials responded to calls about the bee swarm and found the man about 75% up the mountain.
Although the unidentified hiker was alert and able to talk with his rescuers, his blood pressure was dangerously low from the stings, Phoenix NBC affiliate KPNX reported.
Once fire officials had determined the man was unable to descend on his own, he was airlifted off the mountain, transferred to an ambulance waiting at the trailhead and then transported to the hospital, the Phoenix Fire Department posted on Facebook.
Arizona’s bees have reportedly reproduced with more aggressive Africanized bees since the 1990s.
According to Dr. Frank Lovecchio, an emergency physician and professor at Arizona State University, attacks like the one over the weekend are not unusual for bees in the state.
“It’s always about protecting the queen bee, protecting the hive,” he told Fox 10 Phoenix. “And it sends signals that the other bees come over and kind of attack you.”
Lovecchio said the venom “kind of crushes your muscle. And that muscle breakdown can cause all these problems.”
Shaun Cutrona, owner of Busy Bee Pest Solutions, who does as many as 70 bee removals in a day, told Fox 10 that the bees seem angrier this year.
“I know people love to say that bees are super friendly, but in Arizona, with them being Africanized, if you see them going in and out of a hole or cavity, don’t walk up to it — call a professional,” he said.
The Phoenix Fire Department recommends that people avoid disturbing hives, skip scented products outdoors, wear light-colored clothing, and run and cover their heads if they encounter swarming bees.
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