A remarkable scene unfolded early Friday morning in northwestern Washington when a truck carrying an estimated 250 million honeybees overturned, releasing a swarm of the buzzing insects onto the road, The Associated Press reported.

Massive Bee Rescue Effort Underway Following Accident`

The truck, which was transporting approximately 70,000 pounds (31,751 kilograms) of honeybee hives, rolled over around 4 a.m. near Lynden, close to the Canadian border, according to the Whatcom County Sheriff’s Office.

What Led to the Accident?

The cause of the accident appears to be a tight turn that the driver could not navigate properly, causing the truck’s trailer to tip into a ditch. Fortunately, the driver was unharmed in the incident, Amy Cloud, a spokesperson for Whatcom County Emergency Management, reportedly said.

Beekeepers Rush to Help Recover Bees

As the bees began to disperse in the area, a quick and coordinated response from local authorities and beekeepers was initiated. The Whatcom County Sheriff’s Office, along with deputies, county public works employees, and several bee experts, worked together to secure the overturned hives. Local beekeepers, more than two dozen in total, swarmed to the scene to help restore the hives and ensure the safe recovery of as many bees as possible, the report said.

The sheriff’s office later confirmed that the goal was to allow the bees to return to their hives and reunite with their queen in the next couple of days. The post praised the efforts of the community, stating, “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.”

Honeybees play a critical role in pollination, affecting more than 100 crops, including essential items like nuts, vegetables, berries, citrus, and melons.

Calls for Standardized Response to Bee Accidents

Alan Woods, president of the Washington State Beekeepers Association, called for a standardized emergency response for bee- accidents, as reported by the AP. This incident is not the first of its kind in the region; in 2015, a truck accident north of Seattle released 14 million bees onto Interstate 5, which led to a number of stings as the bees swarmed.

Woods emphasized that having a formal emergency response protocol in place could help prevent such issues in the future. “The state should have a standardized ‘emergency bee response’ for bee vehicle crashes,” Woods said, per AP.