Truck overturns in Texas, releasing millions of bees

Millions of honeybees were released into a rural Texas neighborhood after a semi-truck transporting hundreds of hives overturned on Sunday, June 21, prompting a large-scale response from local beekeepers and emergency crews. The incident occurred in the Mauriceville area of Orange County, near the intersection of Colony Drive and FM 1130, when the 18-wheeler failed to navigate a turn and rolled over.

The truck was carrying an estimated 400 bee hives, with officials and a local beekeeping company stating the total number of bees involved was in the millions. The Orange County Sheriff's Office and Orange County Emergency Services District 4 responded to the scene, shutting down roads in the Colony Lane and Colony Drive area and advising residents to stay indoors as a safety precaution. No serious injuries were reported from the crash itself, though a news photographer covering the incident was stung.

A local company, Queen Bee Supply LLC, put out a call for assistance, and multiple commercial and backyard beekeepers from the area quickly arrived to help salvage the hives. Volunteers worked to safely transfer the bees onto other transport trucks, which were then taken to a local...