Millions of honeybees abuzz after truck overturns in Washington state
BELLINGHAM, Wash. (AP) — There was a buzz in the air Friday in northwestern Washington state as about 250 million honeybees escaped a commercial truck that overturned.
The truck hauling an estimated 70,000 pounds (31,751 kilograms) of honeybee hives rolled over around 4 a.m. close to the Canadian border near Lynden, the Whatcom County Sheriff's Office said in social media posts.
It appears the driver did not navigate a tight turn well enough, causing the trailer to roll into a ditch, county emergency management spokesperson Amy Cloud said in an email. The driver was uninjured, Cloud said.
Deputies, county public works employees and several bee experts responded to the scene. The box hives later came off the truck, and local beekeepers swarmed to help recover, restore and reset the hives, according to the sheriff's office.
The plan is to allow the bees to return to their hives and find their queen bee in the next day or two, according to the sheriff's office. The goal is to save as many of the bees as possible.
'Thank you to the wonderful community of beekeepers: over two dozen showed up to help ensure the rescue of millions of pollinating honey bees would be as successful as possible,' the sheriff's office post said.
The public was advised to avoid the area on Friday, and sheriff's deputies dove into in their squad cars at times to avoid being stung.
Honeybees are crucial to the food supply, pollinating over 100 crops including nuts, vegetables, berries, citrus and melons. Bees and other pollinators have been declining for years, and experts blame insecticides, parasites, disease, climate change and lack of a diverse food supply.
In 2018, the U.N. General Assembly sponsored the first 'World Bee Day' on May 20 to bring attention to the bees' plight.
Beekeepers often transport millions of bees from one location to another because leaving them in one location for too long can deplete resources for other pollinators, The Seattle Times reported.
Alan Woods, president of the Washington State Beekeepers Association, told the newspaper the state should have a standardized 'emergency bee response' for bee vehicle crashes. In 2015, 14 million bees escaped a truck north of Seattle on Interstate 5 and started stinging people, the newspaper reported at the time.
Lisa Baumann, The Associated Press
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
New York Post
an hour ago
- New York Post
334-pound man sues Walt Disney World over injuries sustained on waterslide that allegedly didn't support his weight
A man allegedly injured after an ill-fated trip down a waterslide at Walt Disney World is suing the theme park giant for $50,000 in damages — even though he was more than 30 pounds over the ride's weight limit at the time. In the lawsuit filed last Thursday, Eugene Strickland claims that he is still struggling with the aftermath of 'catastrophic injuries' he sustained after riding the Downhill Double Dipper at Disney's Blizzard Beach Waterpark in July 2021. 3 A man filed a lawsuit against Walt Disney World for $50,000 in damages for injuries he allegedly sustained on a waterslide at the park. Getty Images At the time, Strickland weighed 334 pounds, according to the complaint, which put him just over the ride's 300-pound limit. It is unclear if he was warned about or aware of the weight limit before going down the slide. 3 Strickland asserted he went airborne on the Downhill Double Dipper at Disney's Blizzard Beach Waterpark. Strickland allegedly 'became momentarily airborne' on the waterslide before eventually landing 'with force onto the hard plastic surface of the slide' after losing control of the inner tube he was riding in, according to the complaint. The lawsuit pins blame on the waterslide's design and 'exhilarating speeds,' according to the complaint. 3 At the time, Strickland was 34 pounds heavier than the recommended weight limit for the waterslide. AP Strickland asserts that he 'suffered serious bodily injury and resulting pain and suffering, disability, scarring, disfigurement, mental anguish, [and] loss of capacity for the enjoyment of life' that he still grapples with today, according to the complaint. He also claims that Disney World is directly negligent for failing to establish safe premises and that they were well aware of the 'safety hazard' and 'concealed trap' the waterslide presented that contributed to his injuries. Strickland is seeking $50,000 in damages from the entertainment kingpin, according to the complaint. Disney has their hands full with waterpark complaints this summer. One Long Island mother is suing for a staggering $2 million in damages after she was allegedly scarred by a 'mammoth' wave at the resort's Typhoon Lagoon. The Post has reached out to Disney for comment.
Associated Press
2 hours ago
- Associated Press
Philadelphia kicks off Pride Month with flag raising
The Associated Press is an independent global news organization dedicated to factual reporting. Founded in 1846, AP today remains the most trusted source of fast, accurate, unbiased news in all formats and the essential provider of the technology and services vital to the news business. More than half the world's population sees AP journalism every day.
Hamilton Spectator
2 hours ago
- Hamilton Spectator
What we know about the attack against a group of demonstrators in Boulder, Colorado
BOULDER, Colo. (AP) — Six people calling for the release of Israeli hostages in Gaza were injured Sunday at an outdoor mall in Boulder, Colorado, by a man who police say used a makeshift flamethrower and hurled an incendiary device into a crowd. The FBI immediately described the incident as a 'targeted terror attack.' The suspect, identified by the FBI as 45-year-old Mohamed Sabry Soliman, yelled 'Free Palestine' during the attack on the group of demonstrators, said Mark Michalek, the special agent in charge of the FBI's Denver field office. Soliman was arrested and taken to the hospital for treatment, but authorities didn't elaborate on his injuries. Here is what we know about the attack: How the attack unfolded Soliman attacked demonstrators with a volunteer group called Run for Their Lives, which organizes run and walk events to call for the immediate release of the Israeli hostages who remain in Gaza since a war between Israel and Hamas sparked in 2023, authorities said. The group had gathered at the Pearl Street pedestrian mall, a four-block area in downtown Boulder popular with tourists and students. The Israel-Hamas war continues to inflame global tensions and has contributed to a spike in antisemitic violence in the United States. It occurred more than a week after the fatal shooting of two Israeli embassy staffers in Washington by a Chicago man who yelled 'I did it for Palestine, I did it for Gaza' as he was being led away by police. Police in Boulder evacuated multiple blocks of the pedestrian mall. The scene shortly after the attack was tense, as law enforcement agents with a police dog walked through the streets looking for threats and instructed the public to stay clear. 'Our agents and local law enforcement are on the scene already, and we will share updates as more information becomes available,' FBI Director Kash Patel posted on social media. The violence comes four years after a shooting rampage at a grocery store in Boulder, about 25 miles (40 kilometers) northwest of Denver, that killed 10 people. The gunman was sentenced to life in prison for murder after a jury rejected his attempt to avoid prison time by pleading not guilty by reason of insanity. Several people hospitalized Those injured range in age from 67 to 88, officials said. All were hospitalized. Photos from the scene showed a woman lying on the ground in the fetal position with her hair soaked, and a man helping her and getting water from someone with a water jug. The injuries authorities found were consistent with reports of individuals being set on fire, Boulder Police Chief Steve Redfearn said, adding that injuries ranged from serious to minor. Redfearn told reporters Sunday evening that it was too early to discuss a motive but that witnesses were being interviewed. 'It would be irresponsible for me to speculate on motive this early on,' he said. Who the suspect is Mohamed Sabry Soliman, 45, was arrested at the scene. No charges were immediately announced but officials said they expect to hold him 'fully accountable.' Video from the scene showed him shirtless and wearing jeans and holding two clear bottles with a transparent liquid in them while shouting at onlookers. Another video shows a witness shouting, 'He's right there. He's throwing Molotov cocktails,' as a police officer with his gun drawn advanced on the suspect. FBI leaders in Washington said they were treating the Boulder attack as an act of terrorism, and the Justice Department — which leads investigations into acts of violence driven by religious, racial or ethnic motivations — decried the attack as a 'needless act of violence, which follows recent attacks against Jewish Americans.' 'This act of terror is being investigated as an act of ideologically motivated violence based on the early information, the evidence, and witness accounts. We will speak clearly on these incidents when the facts warrant it,' FBI Deputy Director Dan Bongino said in a post on X. Error! Sorry, there was an error processing your request. There was a problem with the recaptcha. Please try again. You may unsubscribe at any time. By signing up, you agree to our terms of use and privacy policy . This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google privacy policy and terms of service apply. Want more of the latest from us? Sign up for more at our newsletter page .
