A semitrailer carrying hundreds of honeybee hives overturned in East Texas over the weekend, releasing millions of bees and prompting emergency officials to warn residents to stay indoors while crews worked to contain the swarm.
The crash happened Sunday in Orange County, near the community of Mauriceville, northeast of Beaumont, and near the Louisiana border. The truck was transporting more than 400 hives when the trailer tipped over, unleashing an estimated 2 million or more honeybees into the surrounding area.
Authorities temporarily closed roads near the crash site and urged residents in the immediate area to remain inside due to what officials described as a “heavy presence of bees.”
Residents Urged To Stay Indoors
Orange County Emergency Services District 4 issued a warning shortly after the crash, advising people living near the affected area to avoid going outside while emergency crews and beekeepers responded.
Despite the large swarm, officials reported no serious injuries. The truck driver was not injured in the accident, though one local television photographer reportedly suffered a bee sting while covering the scene.
Emergency officials later said crews were working to transfer surviving hives onto other transport vehicles and move them to a nearby honey farm.
Beekeepers Rush To Help
Local beekeepers quickly mobilized to assist with the recovery effort.
Christie Ray, owner of Queen Bee Supply, said volunteers from several beekeeping operations joined forces to help salvage the hives and contain the bees.
“They just help each other, that’s what they do,” Ray said, the Associated Press reported. “The beekeeping community is a great community.”
Photos shared by Queen Bee Supply showed beekeepers wearing protective gear as they worked amid dense swarms of bees around the overturned trailer.
“Not something you ever want to see, but so nice to see beekeepers helping beekeepers,” the company wrote in a social media post.
Significant Loss Expected
Chris Moore, owner of Moore Honey, said he and several employees assisted at the scene but estimated that only about a quarter of the 408 hives involved in the crash are likely to survive.
According to Moore, the long-term impact will largely depend on how many queen bees survived the accident. Without a living queen, a hive cannot continue functioning.
“It’s a big loss,” Moore said, AP reported. “Any time you lose that many in one shot, it’s a big loss.”
Beyond the loss of the hives themselves, Moore noted that beekeepers also lose future honey production and pollination revenue.
Wrong Turn Led To Crash
Moore said the hives had traveled only a few miles before the crash occurred. The truck was reportedly beginning a trip to North Dakota when the driver took a wrong turn and ended up on narrow neighborhood roads.
While attempting to navigate a tight corner, the trailer overturned, spilling the hives.
Commercial beekeepers commonly transport hives across the country to support agricultural pollination and to follow blooming seasons that maximize honey production.
As cleanup efforts continued, local beekeepers placed catch boxes throughout the area to help collect stray bees. Moore said it could take some time before all of the insects are recovered and the area returns to normal.
Residents near the crash site were still being advised to exercise caution as recovery operations continued.
