In the United States, over 14 million bees escaped when a large truck carrying thousands of beehives overturned on a road near the Canadian border.
The truck was transporting approximately 70,000 pounds (about 31,750 kilograms or nearly 32 tons) of live bees in hives and crashed on a road in Whatcom County.
According to the Whatcom County Sheriff’s Office (WCSO), emergency services worked together with expert beekeepers “to save as many bees as possible.”
Before the actual count was confirmed, WCSO had initially estimated that up to 250 million bees may have escaped. Later, one of the beekeepers involved in the rescue stated the real number was closer to 14 million.
The WCSO advised residents to stay away from the crash site “to avoid potential stings from the bees.”
Rescue teams said they aimed to help the bees return to their hives and reconnect with their queens. They expected this to be completed within 24 to 48 hours.
In a Facebook post, WCSO thanked “over 24 beekeepers who responded to the emergency,” noting that “by the following morning, most of the bees had returned to the hives.”
