Angry bee swarm ‘severely’ sting rancher, trap him on bulldozer, Texas officials say

A Texas rancher needed help after a hive full of angry bees swarmed and stung him, trapping him on a bulldozer.

According to the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department, the rancher was recently using an open top bulldozer to get rid of brush on his property near Eldorado, but unknowingly crushed a beehive under his treads.

Eldorado, population roughly 2,200, is located about 45 miles south of San Angelo.

The bees retaliated before the man had a chance to get off the bulldozer, but a quick-thinking ranch hand covered him in blankets and called for help, TPWD said.

The sheriff’s department, EMS, local volunteer firefighters, and game wardens responded and came up with a plan.

Firefighters turned the hose on the bees, blasting many of them with water, according to the TPWD.

Then one of the game wardens, who happens to be “an avid beekeeper,” put his unique expertise, and personal collection of beekeeping suits, into action.

The wardens and the sheriff donned the mostly bee-proof suits and “removed the man from the bulldozer.”

The rancher was “severely stung,” TPWD officials said, and the wardens transported him to waiting EMS workers who took him to a hospital where he recovered.

This story was originally published October 10, 2021 at 2:14 PM with the headline "Angry bee swarm ‘severely’ sting rancher, trap him on bulldozer, Texas officials say."