Bee recovery work complete after millions spill out on Whatcom County, WA road
Whatcom County road reopens after millions of bees escape in semi-crash
On Saturday afternoon, cleanup crews in Whatcom County announced the completion of bee recovery work at the site of a semi-truck crash that involved millions of bees on May 30.
WHATCOM COUNTY, Wash. - On Saturday afternoon, cleanup crews in Whatcom County announced the completion of bee recovery work at the site of a semi-truck crash that involved millions of bees on May 30.
The backstory:
Weidkamp Road in Whatcom County was shut down Friday morning after local authorities reported that a truck that was carrying 70,000 pounds of bees had overturned.
Millions of bees escaped after a commercial truck overturned on May 30, 2025 in Whatcom County, Washington. (Whatcom County Sheriff's Office)
On Saturday morning, the sheriff's office reported that 14 million bees spilled out during the crash. Initial reports estimated the number of bees was closer to 250 million. The WCSO thanked those who were able to more accurately assess the number of impacted bees.
Local perspective:
Deputies say more than two dozen people showed up to help ensure the rescue of millions of the pollinating honey bees.
Crews and community members were working with hive boxes from the crash to recover, restore and return the highest number of bees possible.
Commercial vehicle full of bees rolls over in Whatcom County, Washington on May 30, 2025. (Whatcom County Sheriff's Office)
The Washington State Department of Agriculture posted on social media Friday that most bees would be expected to survive under their recovery plan.
The Source: Information in this story came from the Whatcom County Sheriff's Office.
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