Swarm of Bees Attack and Kill Man after Emerging Out of Potting Soil Bag

A Kentucky man died after he was attacked by a swarm of bees that were concealed inside a bag of potting soil.

The 59-year-old was moving the bag of soil from his porch on Monday evening when he was swarmed, according to the the Harlan County Coroner’s Office.

While waiting for emergency responders, family members attempted to perform CPR. The first responders and emergency room staff also tried to revive the man, “until those attempts failed.” 

The man was pronounced dead at 5:50 p.m. The coroner's office has not yet released his identity.

“Our heartfelt prayers go out to the entire family and friends,” the coroner’s office said.  It was not clear exactly how many times he had been stung or what the official cause of death was.

Bee swarms can be dangerous, even if the person that gets stung is not allergic. When a person is stung more than a dozen times, the excess venom can create a toxic reaction, according to the Mayo Clinic.

In 2021, an Arizona man died after he was stung hundreds of times by a swarm of bees. 

Another man died in Arizona this June after he went into cardiac arrest following numerous bee stings.