Bee Swarm Attacks Phoenix Mosque-Goers
At least 20 people were stung by a 15,000 strong swarm of killer bees after Friday’s Jumu’ah prayers at the Muslim Community Mosque of Metropolitan Phoenix.
Killer bees = Africanized bees: Africanized honey bees, known colloquially as “killer bees”, are a “hybrid of the Western honey bee species, produced originally by cross-breeding of the African honey bee, with various European honey bee varieties.” What occurred in the process was an aggressive species…and their stings are far worse than those of a European honey bee.
The attendees were accosted by the swarm just after their prayer meeting. People grabbed any covering they could to shield themselves from the stinging horde. One 24 year old was transported to the hospital, and is said to be in stable condition.
The people began flailing their arms around just as they exited the building, which is the worst thing you can do in a bee attack (but impossible to remember when that buzzing occurs). Experts say that finding immediate shelter either inside a building or car is the best solution. Anaphylactic shock can occur for those who might be allergic.
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“They were making all the movements and people would fall in the grass and then just keep running. I can’t believe they had the whole street blocked off for the bees.” John Chavarria, witness to the attack
Preemptive strike?
It shouldn’t have been a surprise, as the bee nest was known to mosque officials. They had scheduled it to be removed Saturday (well, you know bees are sensitive critters, they kinda know when something’s up).
Firemen doused the hive and sprayed down the mosque with thick foam in an effort to get the bees under control. News reports said that bees were still flying around in the vicinity after the foam had killed most of them.
Now the mosque will have  to clean up the mess. And a big mess it is – dead bees all over the place and nasty thick foam…it’s not going to be fun.
Police have started taking down the barricades on 32nd St. Should re-open soon after bee attack at mosque. pic.twitter.com/AlIgT0pdfB
— Derek Staahl (@DerekStaahl) April 2, 2016
15-20,000 Africanized bees from this hive stung 20 people. 1 person taken to hospital. pic.twitter.com/mq2PVu1lFO — Nick VinZant (@NickVinZant) April 2, 2016
Parts of 32nd St. blocked off after multiple people stung by bees at community Mosque. pic.twitter.com/YfmxwQ11JN
— Nick VinZant (@NickVinZant) April 1, 2016
There’s a report of a bee attack inside an Islamic center in Phoenix [photos] https://t.co/kmJqcaRHZE pic.twitter.com/YBACqf4SdY — Twitchy Team (@TwitchyTeam) April 1, 2016
Photographer @delbert12news covers a bee attack in #Phoenix See shocking video only on #12news with @TrishaHendricks pic.twitter.com/MQCgAq9jXB
— Carlos Chavez (@azphotoeditor1) April 1, 2016
H/T Uncle Sam’s Misguided Children
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