QUEEN CREEK, AZ (AZFamily) — Dozens of students are being evaluated after they were stung by a swarm of bees outside an East Valley school.
Fire officials said Queen Creek Junior School students were outside on the athletic field practicing a fire drill shortly before 2 p.m. when about four students were stung among a group of 41.
Dozens of people, including students and staff members, were stung outside of Queen Creek Junior High School early Monday afternoon.(Arizona’s Family)
No one has been taken to the hospital so far, according to a Queen Creek Unified School District spokesperson.
According to Beehive Bee and Wasp Removal, a 70-pound killer bee hive was found on the west side of the field. A hive that size can hold more than 80,000 bees. The hive was removed by 5:15 p.m.
Detectives found a football near the hive so that could have been why they attacked, officials said.
Because of the Valley’s unique weather, bees are more active in the spring and fall.
“For the next couple of weeks, when you’re out, especially in the desert areas, anywhere on the fringes, you need to be careful because they’re traveling; they’re moving,” said Mike Boyle with Burns Pest Elimination.
Boyle said with the recent rain and temperatures, bees are out and about and in some cases, they are looking for a new place to establish a hive. “They just want to protect their queen,” he said.
If you get attacked by bees, run away in a straight line and cover your face. Make sure you don’t swat them bees, as this will agitate them even more. Then, look for shelter, like inside a home or car, to hide in.
“If you’re not anywhere near their queen, they’re going to leave you alone,” said Boyle. The cooler the weather gets, the less active the bees are.
Arizona’s Family has reached out to the Queen Creek police and fire departments for additional information.
The school district released the following statement:
“This afternoon, during a scheduled fire drill at Queen Creek Junior High School, several students and staff encountered an unexpected swarm of bees on the athletic field. A number of staff and students were stung.
“School health staff responded immediately and assessed all affected students and employees. Queen Creek Fire Medical arrived on scene to assist with evaluations and ensure that all individuals were safe and received appropriate care. Parents of impacted students are being notified directly.
“The safety and well-being of our students and staff is our highest priority. The District Operations team is actively inspecting the field area to identify the source of the bees and ensure the campus remains safe. The area will remain closed until it is fully cleared.”
correction: This story has been updated to reflect an updated number of victims stung based on new information by Queen Creek Fire & Medical.
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