WHATCOM COUNTY, Wash. — The sky was abuzz following a big rig rollover in Washington State on Friday, May 30.
According to social media posts by the Whatcom County Sheriff’s Office, at about 4 a.m. a commercial truck hauling an estimated 70,000 pounds of honeybee hives — inhabited by live bees — overturned on Weidkamp Road near Lyndon after failing to navigate a tight turn.
The Whatcom County Sheriff’s Office, Whatcom County Public Works, and several bee experts responded to the accident. The road was shut down and the public, especially those with bee allergies, were advised to avoid the area.
Shortly after 9 a.m. Friday, the hives were removed from the truck, creating a “buzz” among the hives and resulting in about 14 million bees escaping and taking flight. Following the advice of beekeepers at the scene, the hives were re-set, giving the bees time to re-hive and find their queen.
The road was reopened to traffic early Saturday afternoon, the Whatcom County Sheriff’s Office reported.
Linda Garner-Bunch has been with The Trucker since 2020, picking up the reins as managing editor in 2022. Linda has nearly 40 years of experience in the publishing industry, covering topics from the trucking and automotive industry to employment, real estate, home decor, crafts, cooking, weddings, high school sports — you name it, she’s written about it. She is also an experienced photographer, designer and copy editor who has a heartfelt love for the trucking industry, from the driver’s seat to the C-suite.
