A type of bee-mageddon appears to be striking a popular holiday hotspot in the Coromandel.

Hundreds of bees have been washing up on Whangamata Beach on the high tide over the past week, catching out unaware holiday makers.

Head Lifeguard at Whangamata Surf Lifesaving Club Stewart Gibson says between 50 and 75 people have been treated so far for bee stings.

He says people are being stung in the water, and as they walk along the beach and accidentally step on the insects.

"[The bees] fly out to the islands, out to Donut Island and Clark Island, to get the pollen off there. They must be dropping out there and being washed in.

"We've got the first aid station set up treating them with ice packs and stingose, and getting the sting out with the tweezers. [We've also] got the oxygen and defib set up case anyone goes into anaphylactic shock."