Millions of Honeybees Escape After Semitrailer Tipping in Orange County, Texas
ORANGE COUNTY, TX — A semitrailer carrying approximately 400 hives tipped over Sunday morning, releasing millions of honeybees into a rural neighborhood.
Emergency officials closed roads in the area, urging residents to remain indoors while crews worked to unload the trailer and salvage as many hives as possible. No serious injuries or bee stings were reported, and the owner of the hives remains unidentified, according to the Orange County Sheriff's Office.
Local beekeepers, including Christie Ray of Queen Bee Supply, mobilized volunteers from several businesses to assist at the scene. “The beekeeping community is a great community,” Ray said.
Chris Moore, owner of Moore Honey, estimated that only about 25% of the 408 hives would survive, dependent on the number of living queens. “It's a big loss,” Moore noted. He highlighted the financial implications for beekeepers who lose a significant portion of their hives.
The trailer had been en route to North Dakota when the driver mistakenly navigated into narrow local roads, resulting in the accident. Moore mentioned that local beekeepers are placing catch boxes to recover some of the escaped bees.
The incident follows a similar situation in April, where another truck full of bees caused traffic delays near Knoxville, Tennessee. Authorities are actively investigating the incident.