BUCKEYE, Ariz. — A family photoshoot ended with a bee attack and a mother stung over 75 times.
Arizona Fire & Medical Authority (AFMA) said the woman was stung while protecting her children on March 30 in Buckeye near Beloat and Rainbow Roads.
"They were out enjoying the supper bloom and taking some family photos when they began to be stung by bees," said Ashley Losh, a division chief at AFMA. "This mom had such incredibly quick thought to put the kids in the car and get them to safety."
AFMA, Buckeye Valley Command Officers, and Buckeye Valley Rescue firefighters responded to the incident.
The woman was able to get her children into the safety of their car before the bees got to them. She reportedly took the “brunt of the stings,” according to AFMA.
Fire crews used foam to calm the bees and got the children out of the car.
The woman was taken to the hospital for treatment. She is expected to be okay.
The AFMA posted a video of the March 30 rescue to its Facebook page this Sunday.
Bee swarming season
During April and May, bees tend to swarm and look for a new home, said Geoffrey Carranza, a third-generation beekeeper from Carranza Honey Farms.
He said bees are typically not aggressive, but added certain things will set them off.
"They want to stay away from people, but things that will attract them are perfumes, certain noises, they hate lawnmowers, weed eaters," Carranza said. "If you're doing yardwork and there's a swarm nearby, you may get attacked."
If you are attacked by bees, it is very important to get inside a safe place. You should “run in a straight line, cover your face, and get to shelter,” AFMA said.
"Bees will attack your face, your nose, your mouth, your eyes," Carranza said. "It's just a way of them knowing they can stop somebody."
When they swarm, bees are focused on pollinating and making honey, he added.
VERSIÓN EN ESPAÑOL: Una mamá de Arizona fue picada 75 veces por abejas y salvó a sus hijos de ser alcanzados por los aguijones
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