A man in his sixties stung multiple times by bees wasn’t the only bee attack in the Valley on Friday.
After 3 p.m., a central Phoenix neighborhood near 32nd and Van Buren Streets had a foamy substance lining the curb. Phoenix Fire had just responded to a man who had been stung several times. Family said he was stung in the face.
“We don’t know, the ambulance took him and we don’t know how he’s doing,” said Fidelia Rodriguez in Spanish, the aunt of the man treated for multiple bee stings.
Down the street, Devon Chavez and his fiancé weren’t taking any chances as they saw bees near them. Both said they’re allergic. He said he spent hundreds of dollars to remove a hive when he moved into his home a couple of years ago.
Phoenix Fire said if the public is in danger and a beekeeper isn’t immediately available, they’ll use a foamy material to remove the bees. It's described by Phoenix Fire as a soap and water mixture that can get stuck to a bee's wings and kill them.
Hours later around sunset in Tolleson, Phoenix Fire came to the area for two people swarmed by bees. No one was hurt during that incident.
Tony Ramirez, a pest control technician with Urban Desert, said he’s had seven calls for bees in the past two weeks.
He said citrus trees and pollen from blooming spring flowers attract them this time of the year.
“If you get too close and disturb the hive, they’re going to come say hi,” he said.
He says if bees start to swarm, as hard as it may be, Ramirez suggests to stay calm and walk away in a straight line – up to 200 yards away.
When you swat at them, they could get angry and sting which could attract even more.
“When you get stung that many times, the venom is what you’re going to be allergic to. If you have that allergy, it could be deadly,” said Ramirez.
As we get closer to summer, Ramirez says the Queen bee will look for cool shade, sometimes under the edges of a home roof.
A swarm can last a few hours, but if a honeycomb starts to develop, “that’s something you’re going to want to get taken care of,” said Ramirez.
