Ng was among five workers from the department carrying out tree planting work at Chi Ma Wan Country Trail near Mong Tung Wan at the Lantau South Country Park when the incident occurred at 10.21am, police said.

A spokesman said the force received an emergency call from one of the man’s colleagues claiming “the worker had passed out after being stung by several bees”.

The victim, who suffered stings on both hands, was airlifted to Pamela Youde Nethersole Eastern Hospital in Chai Wan, where he later died. Three marks were found on his left hand and one on his right hand, according to a source familiar with the case.

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The insider added Ng had suffered from high blood pressure for about four years and passed out four to five minutes after the bees stung him.

The police spokesman said the type of bee involved in the incident was unknown and an autopsy would be carried out to determine the cause of death.

Civil service chief Ingrid Yeung Ho Poi-yan, Secretary for Environment and Ecology Tse Chin-wan and Director of Agriculture, Fisheries and Conservation Leung Siu-fai expressed sorrow over the death of Ng and extended their condolences to his family.

According to the department, Ng had been working at the country park management centre for decades before retiring four years ago. He was later employed by the department on a contractual basis.

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“Having been a part of the [department] for more than 40 years, Ng served the community with dedication and perseverance. His performance was excellent and he was held in high regard by colleagues,” Leung said.

“I am deeply grieved at the loss of such a devoted officer. On behalf of all our colleagues, I offer the deepest condolences to his family.”

He added the department would maintain close contact with the family and provide support and assistance to them.

Chan Wai-keung, vice-president of the Pest Control Personnel Association of Hong Kong, said the victims were likely stung by wasps instead of bees, as the latter did not attack in such a way. He added that he did not know which type of wasp could have been involved in the incidents, but four species were common in Hong Kong, including Vespa affinis, Vespa tropica and ones collectively known as “yellow jackets”, which were relatively poisonous.

He said reports of wasp stings were common in the city among those engaging in outdoor activities, but death was “very rare”, adding the victim might have been sensitive to wasp poison and could have died from an allergy.

“It’s breeding season for wasps and they don’t want to be disturbed. When someone passes by their nests, which can be found on the ground or trees, a group of eight to 10 will launch an attack,” Chan said.

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He said he believed the workers were dressed in long sleeves and trousers with hats covering their heads and necks, adding only those handling the insects’ nests wore full-body protective gear.

Chan suggested that management should teach workers to be vigilant about potential dangers and carry out inspections of job sites in advance with staff in protective gear.

Frontline workers should also bring along wasp repellent spray while keeping their voices down at work, he said.

According to the department, 13 of its staff members were stung by bees in the past three years.

A spokesman said there were safety guidelines to avoid encounters with bees during outdoor work and training on preventive measures was also given to new recruits, adding authorities regularly provided information to raise staff awareness about warding off such insects.

“If members of the public come across wild bees or beehives, they should remain calm, use protective outer clothing to cover their heads and necks to avoid being stung, observe their surroundings, keep a safe distance from the beehive and slowly leave the area,” he said. “It is essential not to disturb the wild bees or beehives.”