Bees Attack Young Children: Killer Bees in Johannesburg hit Playground, Critically Injuring Four

Eighty children were attacked by a group of bees at a park in Johannesburg on Friday, according to reports, with four critically injured.

The children were allegedly playing with rabbits and waiting for the bus when they were stung by a large swarm of bees. This sent 44 of the preschoolers to the

"They were waiting for a bus when things went drastically wrong," Chris Botha, a spokesman for an ambulance service told South Africa's BNO News. "A swarm of bees came out of nowhere and attacked the children."

Initial reports were uncertain as to how many children were injured by the attack.

"Four of them were in a critical condition when the paramedics arrived on scene," Botha said. "One of the critically injured children was airlifted with the Netcare medical helicopter to the Charlotte Maxeke hospital."

The incident spurred a large emergency response from ambulances across the region.

It is unknown what caused the swarm of bees to attack the children, and investigators are still trying to determine what happened. Yet researchers have indicated that the bees were aggressive Africanized honey or "killer" bees.

A swarm of killer bees did, however, attack two people in Tampa, Florida this week. David Zeledon and Rodney Pugh were removing a pile of trash near the entrance of Picnick Island Park when they tipped over a truck tire by accident. They were then attacked by over 100,000 killer bees.

"It was like a thousand little knives poking me in my body," Pugh said. "It was like bees all in the cab ... So I'm trying to swat, and they say never to swat bees..."

Other recent reports of bee attacks, including areas of the U.S., leave a growing concern for what might stem from seasonal changes.