Approximately 250 million bees escaped from an overturned truck in Washington State on Friday, May 30
Several agencies and master beekeepers responded to the scene to recollect the bees
Authorities have warned people to “stay away” from the area where the incident occurred for at least 200 yards over the next 24-48 hours
Around 250 million bees are on the loose in Washington State after a truck transporting the winged insects overturned.
At around 4:00 a.m. local time on Friday, May 30, a commercial truck carrying an estimated 70,000 pounds of honey beehives overturned on Weidkamp Road near Lynden. Shortly after 9:00 a.m., the beehives fell off the truck, causing the bees to escape, the Whatcom County Sheriff’s Office stated in a news release shared on Facebook.
“Master beekeepers are on scene, and others are on the way, to assist in re-setting the box hives,” WCSO said, per the news release. “The plan is to allow the bees to re-hive and find their queen bee. That should occur within the next 24-48 hours. The goal is to save as many of the bees as possible.”
WCSO deputies and Whatcom County Public Works responded to the scene, along with the WCSO Division of Emergency Management (DEM), who were assisted by several Master Beekeepers.
Authorities have advised locals to avoid Weidkamp between Loomis Trail Road and West Badger, Berthusen Park, for at least 200 yards, as the area remains closed for the next 24 to 48 hours.
After a truck crash released 250 million bees, beekeeper Derek Condit and his team began delicately rebuilding crushed hives. He warned the process is slow, and while some bees will swarm and repopulate nearby, significant losses are expected. Authorities urge the public to stay away, especially those with bee sting allergies.
