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Staying safe around bees in Southern Arizona

Posted at 4:48 AM, Aug 13, 2019
and last updated 2019-08-13 09:21:34-04

TUCSON, Ariz. - Last week, a 73-year-old Duncan man died after being stung by a swarm of bees.

The man was stung while he was cleaning up scraps of metal, according to the Cochise County Sheriff's Office.

According to local beekeeper Edgar Preciado, this is the time of the year when you are more likely to see bees.

A spokesperson with the Tucson Fire Department told KGUN9 since May 2019 they have received 11 bee-related calls.

Three of those calls were to investigate a swarm while the other eight were calls after someone had been stung.

Preciado told KGUN9 the biggest piece of advice he has for people who come across a swarm of bees is to get away as fast as possible.

He added there is no physical way of knowing whether the bees you've come across are normal bees or Africanized bees, which is why keeping your distance is vital.

Preciado also told KGUN9 if you are stung by a bee you want to try and remove any stinger or stingers. He said if you were stung by a large amount of bees he always recommends seeking medical attention.