Overview

• A commercial truck hauling about 70,000 pounds of honeybee hives overturned at 4 a.m. Friday on Weidkamp Road near Lynden, Washington, releasing an estimated 250 million bees.
• More than two dozen volunteer beekeepers and sheriff’s deputies worked through Friday to recover, restore and reset the dislodged hive boxes to safeguard the insects and their queens.
• Whatcom County authorities closed the stretch between Loomis Trail and West Badger roads for up to 48 hours and advised residents to stay 180–600 feet away from the scene to avoid potential swarms.
• Officials say the majority of the bees should return to their hives by Saturday morning once the queens are located and the boxes are secured.
• The incident highlights the logistical challenges of moving large bee shipments critical for pollinating over 100 crops, including berries, nuts and melons.