Arizona hiker hospitalized after 100+ bee stings

A hiker in Arizona faced a harrowing ordeal over Easter weekend when he was swarmed by bees, suffering over 100 painful stings.

Tech rescue teams airlifted the victim from a mountain trail.

Rescuers from Phoenix and Glendale fire departments responded to a distress call around 10am Saturday on Lookout Mountain Preserve in north Phoenix. The hiker, unable to descend from the summit due to the severe stings, was extracted via a helicopter hoist operation in a Firebird 10 chopper.

He was then transferred to an ambulance at the trailhead and rushed to a hospital in critical condition, officials said.

The incident serves as a stark reminder of the dangers posed by Arizona's highly aggressive bee population, which has been a growing concern since the 1990s arrival of Africanized bees.

“It's always about protecting the queen bee, protecting the hive,” said Dr. Frank Lovecchio, a professor at Arizona State University, explaining that bees attack in defense of their colony.

Lovecchio advised hikers to steer clear of hives, skip fragrant personal care products, wear light-colored clothing, and flee quickly if encountering a swarm, covering the head and face.

This is the latest in a string of bee-related emergencies in Arizona, with an unusually warm winter spurring increased bee activity across the state.