Swarm of 100,000 Killer Bees Attack Two Park Employees in Florida

Two park employees in Florida were hospitalized after they were attacked by a swarm of over 100,000 killer bees, ABC News reports.

David Zeldon and his co-worker Rodney Pugh were were removing the trash near the entrance of Picnic Island Park in Tampa when they accidentaly tipped over an abandoned truck tire that was colonized by thousands of Africanized honeybees. 

The highly aggressive bees attacked the two workers who tried to hide inside a front-end loader but had to flee the vehicle when the bees somehow made it inside. Both men suffered nearly 100 stings and were rushed to the hospital where they were treated with antibiotics and swelling reducers, the report says.

"My ears were just throbbing with pain,"  Pugh told ABC News, adding that he tried to swat the bees with his arms but admitted the he was powerless to stop them.

"It's the worst feeling because you just had so many and they wouldn't stop," he said. 

Experts say Africanized honeybees are dangerous because they can be easily mistaken for common honeybees. Jonathan Simkins, of Insect I.Q. told ABC News that Africanized honeybees can attack in swarms as many as 17 times in a year, much more when compared to the more benign common honeybees who will only attack in swarms twice a year.

Simkins said the bees that attacked the park employees must have made it to Tampa aboard a cargo ship traveling from Africa or South America. The park is located next to Port Tampa. Simkins added that an attack of this type won't be the last.

"This pile of rubbish wasn't moved for three years.  So this colony's been breeding and sending out colonies," he said.