Jon Johnson File Photo/Gila Herald: Africanized bees gather at their hive at a previous bee call south of Safford. On July 13, a farm field worker was taken to the hospital after being stung hundreds of times while working in a field in Solomon.
By Jon Johnson
SOLOMON – A farm field worker was taken to Mt. Graham Regional Medical Center on July 13 after reportedly being stung in a Killer Bee attack more than 200 times.
According to a Graham County Sheriff’s Office report, a deputy was dispatched at about 7 a.m. to the area of Bowie Avenue and Center Street, near a cotton field, regarding a bee attack.
Safford Fire Chief Clark Bingham previously acknowledged that any wild hive of bees in the area is almost certainly of the Africanized “Killer” Bee variety that is much more aggressive than the common European honeybee.
Upon arrival, the injured worker was located inside the farmer’s truck. He had been stung by bees multiple times while working in the field.
The farmer was advised to transport the worker to the hospital and later reported that the worker “was going to be all right.”
The Safford Fire Department sprayed the beehive, according to the report.
