Latest news with #Lynden
Yahoo
17 hours ago
- General
- Yahoo
WA beekeeper working to save millions of bees involved in crash in Whatcom County
WHATCOM COUNTY, Wash. - Millions of bees escaped in Whatcom County after a semi-truck overturned on Friday. The Whatcom County Sheriff's Office initially reported 250 million bees had escaped, but yesterday they changed that estimate to 14 million bees. We talked with a beekeeper who was on scene and gave us a better look at what those beekeepers experienced on Friday. Big picture view It's the buzz heard across social media, bees as far as the eye can see. They were in the air and on the ground, surrounding those trying to save them by the millions. For beekeeper Derek Condit, that day quickly changed and became an experience that went bee-yond anything he could imagine. He was able to capture video on Friday after a semi-truck carrying 70,000 pounds of honey bee hives overturned in Whatcom County. The crash sent an estimated 14 million bees swarming on Weidkamp Road near Lynden. What they're saying "The sheriff's department was probably several hundred yards down the road because you couldn't approach it unless you were completely suited up," Condit said. They tried to save the bees by putting the beehives back together – not an easy task, since hundreds of beehives slid off the truck, got mixed up, damaged and some even opened up! Local perspective The Whatcom County Sheriff's Office and the beekeepers are now giving the bees a chance to re-hive and find their queen bee. "Many of the queens did do just that. They swarmed in the nearby trees and local forest where the other bees will meet up with them and start a new colony, hopefully," said the beekeeper. Derek told Fox 13, he learned these bees had just finished pollinating blueberry fields and were headed to South Dakota, adding another sting to a sticky situation. "It's going to be nearly a complete loss for all of these hives because of the devastation," he said. "It's not often somebody gets to be in the presence of millions of bees while they're there, but they also had, believe, not, a calming feel to them, almost like they felt like we were there to help." The Source Information for this story came from original FOX 13 Seattle interviews. Homicide investigation underway after 5-year-old dies in Federal Way, WA Major 5-day SR 18 closure at I-90 in Snoqualmie, WA Alaska man pinned by 700-pound boulder for 3 hours walks away unharmed Why hasn't anyone been charged in Seattle clash arrests? What we know Mandatory driver's education to expand under new Washington law To get the best local news, weather and sports in Seattle for free, sign up for the daily FOX Seattle Newsletter. Download the free FOX LOCAL app for mobile in the Apple App Store or Google Play Store for live Seattle news, top stories, weather updates and more local and national news.
National Post
a day ago
- Business
- National Post
About 250 million honeybees loose near U.S.-Canada border after truck overturns
There was a buzz in the air Friday in northwestern Washington state as about 250 million honeybees escaped a commercial truck that overturned. Article content Article content 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. Article content 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. Article content 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. Article content Article content 250 million bees escape after truck overturns in Washington State yesterday on May 30, 2025. — non aesthetic things (@PicturesFoIder) May 31, 2025 Article content 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. Article content Article content '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. Article content 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. Article content 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. Article content In 2018, the U.N. General Assembly sponsored the first 'World Bee Day' on May 20 to bring attention to the bees' plight. Article content 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. Article content 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. Article content
Yahoo
2 days ago
- General
- Yahoo
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
Yahoo
2 days ago
- General
- Yahoo
Bee-uitful road clean up: bees spill in Whatcom County cleared
Some 14 million honey bees are now off Weidkamp Road Saturday in Whatcom County. Now the road is expected to reopen by Saturday afternoon. A semi-truck carrying the bees overturned Friday, with the live bees onboard. The accident caused the bees to swarm the area along the road. Bee experts were in place using techniques to capture and keep the bees in the same area, preventing them from flying further away. Weidkamp Road was closed from West Badger Road to Loomis Trail Road. This area is close to the Canadian border, northwest of Lynden. It's unclear what caused the truck to turn over. While there is no general health risk to the public, anyone who is allergic to bee stings or has concerns should check the Department of Health's page on bees. It was first believed that the initial estimate of bees was 250 million, but now the number has been reduced to 14 million.
CBC
2 days ago
- General
- CBC
Millions of honeybees loose after truck overturns near B.C.-Wash. border
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. PT close to the Canadian border near Lynden, Wash., just south of Abbotsford, B.C., 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. WATCH | Millions of honeybees released after rollover: Over 250 million honeybees released after truck rollover near B.C.-U.S. border 1 hour ago Duration 0:09 A commercial truck carrying over 30,000 kilograms of honeybee hives rolled over around 4 a.m. local time on Friday near Lynden, Wash., just south of Abbotsford, and millions of bees were accidentally released. The Whatcom County Sheriff's Office released a video of the buzzy scene. 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. 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 2015, 14 million bees escaped
