Truck carrying 14 million bees overturns on US highway
A truck carrying 14 million live honeybees overturned on a highway in Washington state, US, in the wee hours of Friday morning (April 17).
While the driver of the crash was not hurt, 428 hives were smashed and scattered across the road.
Each hive contained numerous boxes, with about 5,000 bees to each box.
Beekeepers from Belleville Bees, the company that owns the insects, responded to the accident almost immediately.
They tried to use smoke to calm the bees and get them back into boxes.
It is believed that the bees were headed for pollination at a blueberry farm. The bees were worth $92,000.
The bees were initially staying in their respective hives because they were producing honey and protecting the queen bee.
But as the temperature got warmer, the bees become more agitated and stung a few reporters and police officers.
The fire department stepped in and used mix of foam and water on the smashed hives to slow down or kill some of the aggressive bees.
Unfortunately, only 128 hives were successfully rescued - as carcasses of bees lined the highway.
A spokesman for the family run Belleville Bees, said it was huge blow to the business.
Sourcs: Kiro TV, The Seattle Times
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