Bees Attack 5 People in Montana Vista, 3 Hospitalized

A bee swarm attacked five people in Montana Vista Saturday morning. Three were taken to University Medical Center.

El Paso County Sheriff’s Deputies and the Montana Vista Fire Rescue teams helped those in the middle of the swarm outside a store on the 14000 block of Montana.

“When we got out there our vehicle was pretty much swarmed by the bees, as well as the ambulance that came right behind us,” said Montana Vista Fire Rescue Deputy Chief Edward Walsh.

Volunteer firefighters sprayed the bees with foam usually used to fight brush fires.

“One of the men attacked ran inside the restaurant with bees on his body, and even more trailing behind,” said Antonio Enriquez, a baker in the restaurant that shares the same building with the store.

It took emergency crews about half an hour to clear out the bees. Walsh said this was the fourth bee attack this year.

According to local beekeeper, Lorenzo Ceballos, bees are more active during the summer months.

“Bees are very defensive,” said Ceballos. “If bees feel their territory is under attack they will swarm.”

Welsh said people stung by bees need to be careful.

“If you get stung you don’t want to pull the needle out, you want to scrape it out, because at the end of the needle there’s the sack,” he said. “When you pull the needle, you’ll squeeze the sack and get more venom into your body. So take a knife or something and just scrape it off.”

Experts say some people are extremely allergic to bee stings and need to be taken to the hospital within 30 minutes of being stung.

If you come across any bee swarms of hive don’t kill them.

According to the United States Department of Agriculture, there is a honeybee shortage across the world.

“The best thing to do if you come across bees is to turn around, walk away, and call a beekeeper,” said Ceballos.

The El Paso County Animal Control has the numbers of several beekeepers. They can be reached at (915) 546-2280.