Sat May 31 07:45:13 UTC 2025: Okay, here’s a news article summarizing the provided text:
**Millions of Bees on the Loose After Truck Overturns Near Canadian Border**
**Whatcom County, WA** – A massive swarm of honeybees is causing concern in Whatcom County after a truck carrying an estimated 250 million of the insects overturned on Friday. The incident occurred in a rural area near the Canadian border, approximately 30 miles south of Vancouver.
The Whatcom County Sheriff’s Office (WCSO) issued an urgent warning, advising the public to avoid the area due to the potential for bee swarms. Authorities have established a 200-yard perimeter and are working with beekeepers and experts to recover and re-hive the bees, hoping to reunite them with their queens. The recovery process is expected to take up to 48 hours.
The overturned truck was carrying approximately 70,000 pounds of active beehives. While the WCSO stated there is no general health risk to the public, it is advising individuals with bee sting allergies to consult the State Department of Health webpage for guidance.
The incident raises concerns about the potential impact on local agriculture. Honeybees are vital pollinators, crucial to the production of many crops. The disruption could impact the productivity of farms in the area.
This isn’t the first time a bee truck mishap has occurred in Washington state. In 2015, 14 million bees escaped a truck north of Seattle, causing widespread stinging incidents. The transport of bees is common practice, as beekeepers often move hives to prevent resource depletion and support pollination efforts across various locations. The incident serves as a reminder of the importance of bee populations and the challenges associated with their transportation, especially considering their ongoing decline due to factors like insecticides, disease, and climate change.
First Piper 