North Richland Hills man dies after bee swarm attack while mowing lawn; partner also stung
Lonnie Dorsey, 72, was swarmed by bees from a hollowed-out tree while mowing his lawn; his partner Patricia Byrns, 74, was also stung while trying to help. Dorsey, who had a bee allergy, was hospitalized in critical condition and died roughly two weeks later. Bee removal experts identified the colony as typical (non-Africanized) honey bees, not the more defensive Africanized strain.
Incident Summary
Lonnie Dorsey, 72, was swarmed by bees from a hollowed-out tree while mowing his lawn; his partner Patricia Byrns, 74, was also stung while trying to help. Dorsey, who had a bee allergy, was hospitalized in critical condition and died roughly two weeks later. Bee removal experts identified the colony as typical (non-Africanized) honey bees, not the more defensive Africanized strain.
Public-Safety Lesson
A fatal outcome does not require a confirmed Africanized colony. A large colony, mowing disturbance, age, and allergy status can combine to create a fatal public-safety incident.
Impact Flags
Source Information
Source: NBC 5 Dallas-Fort Worth / FOX 4 / WFAA
Source Strength: B - Multiple local news reports