Millions of honeybees loose after truck overturns near B.C.-Wash. border

In a bizarre turn of events on Friday morning, approximately 14 million honeybees caused quite a buzz in northwestern Washington state after escaping from a commercial truck that had overturned near the Canadian border. The truck, carrying an estimated 70,000 pounds of honeybee hives, rolled over close to Lynden, Wash., just south of Abbotsford, B.C., according to the Whatcom County Sheriff’s Office.

The incident occurred around 4 a.m. PT when the driver failed to navigate a tight turn, causing the trailer to roll into a ditch. Fortunately, the driver emerged from the accident unscathed. Deputies, county public works employees, and several bee experts quickly responded to the scene. The box hives were eventually removed from the truck, prompting local beekeepers to come to the rescue in order to recover, restore, and reset the hives.

The ultimate goal is to allow the bees to return to their hives and locate their queen bee within the next day or two. The community of beekeepers played a crucial role in ensuring the successful rescue of millions of pollinating honeybees. Over two dozen beekeepers showed up to lend a helping hand.

Meanwhile, the public was advised to steer clear of the area as sheriff’s deputies, public works officials, and bee experts worked diligently to contain the situation. At times, deputies had to take cover in their squad cars to avoid getting stung by the swarming bees.

Honeybees play a vital role in our food supply chain, pollinating over 100 different crops such as nuts, vegetables, berries, citrus fruits, and melons. The decline in bee populations over the years has been a cause for concern, with experts attributing the decrease to factors such as insecticides, parasites, diseases, climate change, and a lack of diverse food sources.

This incident is not the first of its kind in the region. In 2015, a similar incident occurred when 14 million bees escaped from a truck on Interstate 5 north of Seattle, resulting in multiple people getting stung.

As efforts continue to safely return the bees to their hives, it serves as a stark reminder of the importance of protecting and preserving these essential pollinators for the health of our ecosystem.