5 million bees released after truck overturns on Toronto highway

In a bizarre turn of events, a truck carrying a staggering 5 million bees overturned on a highway in Toronto, Canada last Wednesday, prompting authorities to issue a warning to motorists: keep your vehicle windows closed!

The mishap occurred just west of Toronto, and was reported to the Halton Regional Police around 6:15 a.m, with a police spokesperson explaining that they arrived to the scene to see crates strewn across the highway and swarms of escaping bees.

Remarkably, even the initial beekeeper who arrived to assist was stung multiple times. News of the incident quickly spread via news outlets and social media, prompting several other beekeepers to reach out to the authorities. Within an hour, six or seven beekeepers had gathered at the scene to lend their expertise.

By approximately 9:15 a.m., a significant portion of the 5 million bees had been safely retrieved, and the overturned truck had been cleared from the highway.

Some of the boxes were deliberately left behind for any unaccounted bees to return to at their own pace. According to the Canadian Honey Council, a single honey bee colony typically consists of 50,000 to 80,000 bees.