Texas man mowing neighbor’s yard killed by swarm of bees

A Texas man is dead after a swarm of bees attacked as he was mowing a neighbor’s lawn to repay a favor.

Dee Daugherty, 65, was mowing his neighbor’s lawn in Soda Springs on Sunday when he was swarmed, a local ABC affiliate reported.

Constable Gary Morris believes Mr. Daugherty may have bumped a small shed, causing a part of a large hive behind the plywood wall to fall onto the ground.

“There were thousands of bees,” Constable Morris told ABC. “Mr. Daugherty had to get off [the mower] and go by foot over to his house, where his wife tried to take care of him until they called 911.”

A neighbor who had rushed to help Mr. Daugherty said he was severely swollen in his face and neck.

Constable Morris said he died in the ambulance on the way to the hospital. The official cause of death has not yet been determined.

Meanwhile, ABC reports that a beekeeper has safely moved the hive to another location.