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14 Million Bees Recovered After Washington Truck Overturn

Local beekeepers assisting government agencies recovered nearly all hive boxes, reopening the road to traffic.

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Overview

  • On Friday, a tractor-trailer carrying over 70,000 pounds of honey bee hives overturned on Weidkamp Road near Lynden, Washington after the driver misjudged a tight turn.
  • Authorities initially estimated 250 million bees escaped before confirming roughly 14 million were released into the environment.
  • More than two dozen beekeepers collaborated with deputies to repair about 300 damaged hives, guiding the insects back to their queens.
  • By Monday morning most of the bees had returned to their hives and Whatcom County reopened the road after a 24-hour closure.
  • The spill has renewed calls from the Washington State Beekeepers Association for a formal emergency bee response protocol in response to widespread colony declines.