ORANGE COUNTY, Texas (TNND) — An 18-wheeler carrying hundreds of beehives overturned Sunday morning, releasing millions of honeybees into a local neighborhood.
According to Orange County Emergency Services, residents were advised to stay indoors due to a “heavy presence of bees in the area.” As of Sunday afternoon, emergency crews continued to transfer the hives onto transport trucks for relocation to a nearby honey farm.
Local beekeepers and volunteers assisted in recovering the bees, sharing their efforts on social media. “It's nice to see beekeepers helping beekeepers,” said Christie Ray, owner of Queen Bee Supply.
Authorities reported no serious injuries, although Ray noted that some dogs were stung during the incident. Chris Moore, owner of Moore Honey, estimated that only about 25% of the 408 hives may survive, contingent on the survival of the queen bees.
The driver reportedly took a wrong turn, navigating onto narrow neighborhood roads where the trailer tipped over while making a tight corner, spilling the hives and releasing the bees.