Overturned 18-wheeler releases at least 24 million honeybees, forcing Texas neighborhood lockdown
Team rushes to save millions of bees released during Texas crash
A team of beekeepers in Orange County worked to save millions of bees that were released after a truck hauling hives overturned in Orange County, Texas.
ORANGE COUNTY, Texas - A Texas neighborhood was placed on lockdown after an 18-wheeler carrying up to two million honeybees overturned, unleashing massive swarms across the area, authorities said.
Honeybees in Texas
What we know:
The crash happened Sunday, June 21, when the commercial truck carrying 406 hives lost control and flipped into a ditch in Mauriceville, an unincorporated community in Orange County near the Louisiana border. Each hive had between 60,000 and 80,000 bees.
The impact ruptured the hives, prompting local emergency officials to advise residents near Colony Drive to remain indoors and seal their windows as millions of agitated bees flooded the air.
Emergency crews and area beekeepers rushed to the scene in a coordinated effort to contain the insects and clear the roadway.
Christie Ray of Queen Bee Supply, a local apiary business, was contacted by the Orange County Emergency Services District to bring protective gear to the scene. Ray provided bee suits to first responders who were otherwise unequipped to approach the wreckage.
Footage recorded by Ray showed first responders and apiarists working through swarming bees to salvage the remaining colonies and right the vehicle.
What we don't know:
Authorities have not yet released the condition of the truck driver or reported how many stings first responders and neighbors sustained during the recovery operation.
The Source: Information in this article is from Christie Ray of Queen Bee Supply.