BUCKEYE, AZ — A woman was stung by bees more than 75 times during her family's photo shoot in Buckeye Sunday.
Officials say the woman saved her two children from being stung by quickly getting them in their car, however, she was stung more than 75 times, fire officials say.
When emergency crews responded to the scene, they were able to use foam to calm the swarm and rescue the children from inside the car.
The woman was taken to the hospital with over 75 stings but has since recovered.
Bees are important for our ecosystem by pollinating flowers and producing honey that's beneficial to our health.
When they get angry, however, they'll leave quite a sting.
"Most of the time with bees, if you don't take right actions, they make you pay for it," says Brad Olsen of Urban Desert Pest Control.
Olsen says the bees that attacked the Buckeye woman were likely Africanized bees due to their aggressive behavior. Loud noises, quick movements and swatting at Africanized bees make things worse.
The difference between those bees compared to European bees is the effort Africanized bees will take to protect their hive.
If you run into a swarm, try to get into an enclosed shelter, like a car or home, cover your face and ears without impairing your vision, and don't jump into a body of water to escape the bees.
"The second you come up out of the water, they start hitting you again," Olsen says.
