After Truck Overturns, a 'Heavy Presence of Bees'

Emergency services in east Texas warned residents of a "heavy presence of bees" on Sunday after a semi loaded with beehives overturned near Mauriceville, unleashing an estimated 2 million honeybees. Officials in Orange County quickly urged residents to stay inside as swarms filled the air and clustered on trees, the Guardian reports. Photos showed beekeepers in full protective suits working through thick clouds of insects to salvage as many of the 408 hives as possible, though it's not clear how many survived.

Local company Queen Bee Supply, along with other beekeepers, helped round up the hives, which were moved to a nearby honey farm, authorities said. "Not something you ever want to see, but so nice to see beekeepers helping beekeepers," Queen Bee said in a Facebook post. "From commercial outfits to backyard beekeepers grateful for everyone that came out and helped!" The 18-wheeler carrying the hives was only a few miles into a trip to North Dakota when it overturned after the driver took a wrong turn into a neighborhood with narrow roads, the AP reports. The driver wasn't injured but a reporter from KFDM-TV was stung while taking video of the scene, reports KBTX.