A 75-year-old Texas grandfather was killed by a swarm of bees while he was working on his ranch, officials said.
Bryce Smith was on his bulldozer clearing trees on his property in Bedias — about 90 miles north of Houston — when he took down one with a bee hive, KTBX reported.
Smith suffered more than 60 stings on his face and neck. An employee working with Smith who witnessed the attack rushed him inside and called 911.
He died from his injuries by the time responders arrived.
“The Bedias community lost a very very good individual yesterday, a very good man. He was a wonderful husband, great dad, great grandfather to his kids. He was very well respected,” Grimes County Justice of the Peace Judge Chris Acord said.
“The severity of what happened and how this could happen to anybody and we don’t think about these things,” said Acord.
Texas A&M AgriLife research honeybee scientist, Juliana Rangel, told KTBX that Smith was likely killed by Africanized honey bees — which can be aggressive when frightened.
“Africanized bees are a little bit more prone to feeling threatened by any external stimuli than more often than not, European bees,” said Rangel.
Rangel urged people to contact experts to remove any hives found on your property rather than try to do it themselves.
“You better call a professional beekeeper that knows how to deal with live bee removals so we always recommend trying that route first, which is to call a professional beekeeper that can remove the bees live,” said Rangel.
The Texas Apiary Inspection Service says those under attack by bees should attempt to cover their heads and faces and run to a safe place before calling 911 for help.
Bryce leaves behind his wife, three children, 10 grandchildren and one great-grandchild, according to his obituary.
“His love for his family and his community will always be remembered by those whose lives he touched,” his family wrote.