Updated
Updated · Fox Weather · Jun 22
Texas Crews Relocate Most of 24 Million Bees After 18-Wheeler Overturns
Updated
Updated · Fox Weather · Jun 22

Texas Crews Relocate Most of 24 Million Bees After 18-Wheeler Overturns

3 articles · Updated · Fox Weather · Jun 22

Summary

  • Most of the roughly 24 million bees released when an 18-wheeler overturned in Orange County on Sunday have now been safely relocated, with cleanup stretching into Monday.
  • About 400 hives carrying 60,000 to 80,000 bees each spilled after the truck missed a turn, according to Queen Bee Supply LLC, sending swarms onto nearby trees and fences.
  • Local commercial and backyard beekeepers joined emergency crews to transfer surviving hives onto other trucks and move them to a local honey farm.
  • Residents near Colony Lane and Colony Drive were told to stay indoors and avoid the work zone while parts of the neighborhood remained shut down.
  • The bees were being hauled north to pollinate crops, and officials said sudden swarms are often focused on finding a new home rather than attacking, though stinging risks remain.

Insights

Beyond one truck crash, is our food system's reliance on 'bees on wheels' a disaster waiting to happen?
American beekeepers underpin a $15 billion industry. Why do they face financial collapse and staggering losses every year?