I live in the Allegheny mountains of western PA. I was running along a wooded trail today, as I do almost everyday, and was "attacked" by a swarm of stinging insects that I think may have been some sort of honeybee. I only caught a glimpse of one of them as it stung me repeatedly on my right elbow, through two layers of clothing. I was running a well demarcated trail and do not believe I stepped on a nest. I was running at a pretty good clip and they pursued me for some distance. it took me a while to figure out what exactly was producing the stinging sensation all over my body. I have at least 20 stings over my arms. legs and torso. The produced large, painful welts. One of them left a stinger in m right shin. My question is this: Could these have been aficanized bees? I know it seems unlikely they would be this far north but it was a very unusual encounter for which I have no explanation. Are there any biologists/entymologists out there who might shed some light on this encounter?