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International Desk, 31 May, 2025 : In a bizarre and alarming incident near Linden, Washington, USA, approximately 250 million bees were released into the air after a truck carrying beehives overturned. The accident occurred around 4 a.m. on Friday, May 30, 2025, near the Canadian border. The truck was transporting about 70,000 pounds of beehives.
According to the Whatcom County Sheriff’s Office, the truck driver failed to navigate a sharp turn, causing the vehicle to veer into a ditch. Fortunately, the driver emerged unharmed. However, the crash caused the beehives to scatter, releasing thousands of bees into the surrounding area.
Upon receiving news of the accident, local authorities, emergency services, and nearly two dozen local beekeepers rushed to the scene to recover and relocate the scattered beehives. Authorities expressed hope that within the next one to two days, the bees would return to their hives in search of their queen bees.
The Sheriff’s Office noted that the remarkable support from the beekeeping community helped save millions of bees. However, residents have been advised to avoid the area for safety reasons.
Bees play a critical role in the environment and agriculture, pollinating over a hundred crops, including nuts, fruits, and vegetables. However, their populations have been declining globally due to pesticides, diseases, climate change, and a lack of food diversity.
Alan Woods, president of the Washington State Beekeepers Association, emphasized the need for a dedicated “emergency bee response team” to handle such incidents swiftly.
Notably, a similar incident occurred in 2015 north of Seattle, where 14 million bees were released and attacked people. In recognition of the importance of bees, the United Nations declared May 20 as “World Bee Day” in 2018 to raise awareness about their significance and the challenges they face.
AI/MR
