'Massive Bee Escape: 250 Million Swarm After Truck Crash in Washington'

Emergency personnel and local beekeepers work together to rescue an estimated 250 million bees set free from a truck accident in Washington, urging the public to avoid the area due to potential swarming hazards.

An estimated 250 million bees have escaped in Whatcom County, Washington, following an incident where a truck carrying approximately 70,000 pounds of active honey bee hives overturned. The event, which occurred on Friday near the Canadian border, has led local authorities to issue urgent warnings for citizens to stay away from the area due to the dangerous swarm of stinging insects.

The Whatcom County Sheriff's Office (WCSO) is coordinating rescue efforts alongside several master beekeepers who are on-site to assist in the retrieval of the bees. "The goal is to save as many bees as possible," stated the WCSO following the crash. As a precaution, the location of the accident remains closed to the public "until the rescue is complete."

"AVOID THE AREA due to the potential of bee escaping and swarming," cautioned the sheriff's office as they worked collaboratively with local beekeeper volunteers. The beekeepers are helping to reset the box hives, which serve as homes for the honeybees. WCSO explained, "The plan is to allow the bees to re-hive and find their queen bee," an expected process to unfold over the next 24 to 48 hours.

In a later social media update, the WCSO expressed gratitude towards the "wonderful community of beekeepers," highlighting the support of over two dozen individuals who joined the rescue efforts. They assured the public that most of the bees would likely have returned to their hives by morning.

Footage released by authorities captured the immense cloud of bees swarming around the overturned truck, visually representing the scale of the incident. While some beekeepers are dedicated to honey production, many others provide hive rental services to farmers requiring pollination support. The crash underscores a rising trend in bee swarm rescues across the United States.