SEMI CARRYING 406 BEEHIVES OVERTURNED IN TEXAS
A Texas beehive truck crash set millions of honeybees loose and forced a neighborhood to stay indoors.
A semitrailer carrying 406 beehives overturned into a ditch in Mauriceville, an unincorporated community in Orange County near the Louisiana border, on Sunday, June 21, 2026, FOX 26 Houston reported. The impact damaged or ruptured hives, and the bees poured out into the surroundings.
Orange County ESD #4 asked residents to stay indoors while crews worked.
“We appreciate everyone’s patience and cooperation as crews work to safely resolve this incident,” the agency wrote in a Facebook post.
Officials told residents near Colony Drive to seal their windows, FOX 26 said. Authorities closed nearby roads, and residents got an emergency text alert warning of a “heavy presence of bees in the area,” The New York Times reported.
Estimates of how many bees escaped varied widely. FOX 26 put the number at least 24 million, while KBTX and UPI estimated about 2 million.
Beekeepers to the rescue
First responders at the scene did not have the gear to approach the wreckage. Christie Ray of Queen Bee Supply supplied protective bee suits, FOX 26 said.
Ray skipped church after hearing about the crash and headed to the scene in her own bee suit, the Times reported. Photos and footage attributed to her showed responders and beekeepers working around the damaged hives.
Local beekeepers, from commercial operations to backyard hobbyists, pitched in to recover hives and manage the swarm.
“Not something you ever want to see, but so nice to see beekeepers helping beekeepers,” Queen Bee Supply wrote in a social media post.
“From commercial outfits to backyard beekeepers, grateful for everyone that came out and helped!” the company added.
The hives were unloaded and moved onto other transport vehicles. KBTX reported they were headed to a local honey farm.
The driver was not injured, according to KBTX and other outlets. A photographer from Beaumont station KFDM was stung once while filming, KBTX reported. FOX 26 said it had no total for stings among residents and first responders.
What happened next
The wreck turned out to be a wrong turn. Local beekeeper Chris Moore told KRGV the hives were bound for North Dakota and the truck had gone only a few miles when the driver turned into a neighborhood with narrow roads. The trailer fell as it worked through a tight corner, he said.
The Times described the roadway as flooded and curving.
Local beekeepers set out catch boxes for stray bees, and KRGV reported that clearing the area could take time.
On October 14, 2026, KRGV quoted Moore saying he expected only about one-quarter of the 408 hives to survive. He said it depends largely on how many queens are still alive.
