Overview

• A semi-truck carrying 250 million bees overturned Friday on a roadway in Whatcom County, Washington.
• More than two dozen volunteer beekeepers recovered dislodged hive boxes and reassembled them to rescue the majority of the colony.
• The Whatcom County Sheriff’s Office says most bees should return to their hives within 24 to 48 hours as rescuers locate the queen.
• Authorities closed the highway for safety and cleanup and plan to reopen the road by Saturday morning.
• The crash’s cause remains under investigation, and the operation highlights community efforts to safeguard pollinators essential to agriculture.