First responders in Phoenix are accustomed to frequent rescues of hikers, who often underestimate the Southwestern city’s infamous heat.
But this weekend saw a hiker in need of emergency rescue for a very different reason: an attack from a swarm of bees. According to the Phoenix Fire Department, an unidentified hiker was near the summit of Lookout Mountain on Saturday morning when he was stung many times.
In fact, first responders said the adult male was stung more than 100 times. The injuries were bad enough that he was unable to descend from the mountain without help. So Phoenix firefighters organized a helicopter rescue. They hoisted the man to safety from the top of the mountain.
The hiker was then transferred to an awaiting ambulance at the trailhead. He was taken to a nearby hospital in critical condition, as of the last update on Saturday. The attack was most likely from Africanized honey bees, which now make up the vast majority of bees in Arizona.
GearJunkie reached out to the fire department for an update on the hiker’s condition, but didn’t immediately hear back. In a Saturday post about the incident, the Phoenix Fire Department offered several pieces of advice for hikers.
“Avoid disturbing hives, skip scented products when outdoors, wear light-colored clothing, and if you encounter a swarm — run away quickly and protect your head and face,” the department said.
Bees: More Lethal Than Snakes, Spiders
Many hikers worry about the threat of venomous snakes or spiders when tackling trails. However, the reality is that bees and wasps are far more lethal.
Only about five to 10 people die each year in the U.S. from snake or lizard bites, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). It’s roughly the same number of fatalities for venomous spiders.
But stings from bees, hornets, and wasps accounted for 788 deaths between 2011 and 2021, according to the CDC. That’s an average of 72 deaths per year. Most of those deaths (84%) occurred among males.
In Arizona, specifically, hikers must be aware that nearly all of the state’s bees are Africanized honey bees, which are invasive and highly aggressive. Some of those attacks have been fatal, including one involving a hiker in 2016.
And according to local news reports, the bees have been more active than usual in Arizona this year due to the unusually warm winter.
Find more information about Arizona’s Africanized honey bees on the National Park Service (NPS) website.
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