Millions of Honeybees Escape After Semitrailer Tipping in Orange County, Texas
Orange County, Texas, October 8, 2023 — A semitrailer carrying approximately 400 hives tipped over Sunday morning, releasing millions of honeybees into a rural neighborhood.
Emergency officials shut down roads in the area and advised residents to remain indoors as crews worked to unload the trailer and salvage as many hives as possible. No injuries or bee stings were reported. The identity of the hive owner remains unknown.
According to local beekeeper Christie Ray, volunteers from several nearby beekeeping businesses joined efforts to help recover the hives. “The beekeeping community is a great community,” Ray stated.
Chris Moore, owner of Moore Honey, estimated that only about 25% of the 408 hives may survive, depending on the number of living queens. He noted the financial impact of such a loss can be significant for the affected apiary, stating, “Any time you lose that many in one shot, it's a big loss.”
The hives were en route to North Dakota when the driver took a wrong turn, navigating narrow roads and causing the trailer to tip over. Other local beekeepers have deployed catch boxes in an attempt to collect stray bees, though it is expected to take time for the area to clear.
Authorities have not released details about the investigation or any potential charges related to the incident.