One man was sent to the hospital as a swarm of bees attacked players and spectators at a Utah high school baseball game Friday.
The man was stung between 200 and 300 times by Africanized honey bees, or killer bees, at Elk’s Field in St. George, Fire Capt. Robert Hooper said.
Cooper said the man did not exhibit any severe reaction and was alert and talking to emergency responders. Several other people were treated for stings at the scene as well.
Matt Bezzant, Lone Peak High School baseball coach, told The Spectrum the bees came from the dugout and players were chased by as many as 70 bees at one point.
Fire crews doused the dugout with chemical foam to combat the bees.
It is not known what caused the bees to become aggressive, but fire officials said it is not uncommon for bees to begin migrating and colonizing in the area at this time of year, KCSG.com reported.
Africanized honeybees were discovered in the southern part of Utah in 2009, according to the Utah County Beekeepers Association. The killer bees are 10 percent smaller than European honey bees and have a shorter lifespan.
The bees can respond more quickly and sense danger from humans or animals from at least 50 feet away. When attacking, they might pursue a victim from up to a half-mile.
The Associated Press contributed to this report
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