Truck Transporting Millions of Bees Overturns on Highway
June 1, 2018 1:47 PM Subscribe
"Local beekeepers were called in to help move the bees to a safer location and try to redirect the bees back into their hives..." "A semi-trailer truck carrying a reported 15-30 million honeybees overturned on an East Texas highway on Memorial Day."
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Large bee populations are essentially livestock now, being moved from site to site to pollinate. This is the best article I could find:
Commerical bee keepers follow the bloom
posted by The_Vegetables at 2:02 PM on June 1, 2018 [1 favorite]
Commerical bee keepers follow the bloom
posted by The_Vegetables at 2:02 PM on June 1, 2018 [1 favorite]
arrested_development.gif
posted by quaking fajita at 2:10 PM on June 1, 2018 [3 favorites]
posted by quaking fajita at 2:10 PM on June 1, 2018 [3 favorites]
I'm currently looking at google images for bee trucks. Here are my thoughts:
1) Well, those are a bit distinctive. I'm glad I know what they look like, now.
2) Some of them have nice, big hand-painted signs to warn about the contents of their shipment.
3) WHY DON'T THEY ALL HAVE HUGE, OFFICIAL-LOOKING SIGNS TO WARN ABOUT THEIR CONTENTS?!?!?!
posted by es_de_bah at 2:16 PM on June 1, 2018 [10 favorites]
1) Well, those are a bit distinctive. I'm glad I know what they look like, now.
2) Some of them have nice, big hand-painted signs to warn about the contents of their shipment.
3) WHY DON'T THEY ALL HAVE HUGE, OFFICIAL-LOOKING SIGNS TO WARN ABOUT THEIR CONTENTS?!?!?!
posted by es_de_bah at 2:16 PM on June 1, 2018 [10 favorites]
There's always honey in the Bee Stand?
posted by Mr.Encyclopedia at 2:17 PM on June 1, 2018 [6 favorites]
posted by Mr.Encyclopedia at 2:17 PM on June 1, 2018 [6 favorites]
oprah.gif
posted by NoxAeternum at 2:21 PM on June 1, 2018 [10 favorites]
posted by NoxAeternum at 2:21 PM on June 1, 2018 [10 favorites]
Bees. My God.
posted by Holy Zarquon's Singing Fish at 2:25 PM on June 1, 2018 [1 favorite]
posted by Holy Zarquon's Singing Fish at 2:25 PM on June 1, 2018 [1 favorite]
WHY DON'T THEY ALL HAVE HUGE, OFFICIAL-LOOKING SIGNS TO WARN ABOUT THEIR CONTENTS
It's not what's in the hives that's the problem. It's what not in the hives that's the problem.
That said, I don't know about Texas, but in California hives are supposed to be clearly marked with the name and contact information of the owner, in case, for example, the hives need to be moved out of the way of an approaching wildfire.
As for bee trucks... well, you do know that bees can be ordered through the mail, right? There are stories of mail trucks being chased for miles by drones because their queen is in the mail.
posted by SPrintF at 2:27 PM on June 1, 2018 [12 favorites]
It's not what's in the hives that's the problem. It's what not in the hives that's the problem.
That said, I don't know about Texas, but in California hives are supposed to be clearly marked with the name and contact information of the owner, in case, for example, the hives need to be moved out of the way of an approaching wildfire.
As for bee trucks... well, you do know that bees can be ordered through the mail, right? There are stories of mail trucks being chased for miles by drones because their queen is in the mail.
posted by SPrintF at 2:27 PM on June 1, 2018 [12 favorites]
30 million bees
30 thousand pounds of bananas
It's all the same.
posted by parki at 2:37 PM on June 1, 2018 [3 favorites]
30 thousand pounds of bananas
It's all the same.
posted by parki at 2:37 PM on June 1, 2018 [3 favorites]
Obligatory "Covered in BEEEEES!" link.
posted by Morfil Ffyrnig at 2:37 PM on June 1, 2018 [4 favorites]
posted by Morfil Ffyrnig at 2:37 PM on June 1, 2018 [4 favorites]
Came for the Oprah and Cage references and was not disappointed.
posted by cirhosis at 2:38 PM on June 1, 2018 [1 favorite]
posted by cirhosis at 2:38 PM on June 1, 2018 [1 favorite]
Today's nightmare fuel is brought to you by the letter B.
posted by Abehammerb Lincoln at 2:39 PM on June 1, 2018 [2 favorites]
posted by Abehammerb Lincoln at 2:39 PM on June 1, 2018 [2 favorites]
It bee an emergency.
posted by D.C. at 2:39 PM on June 1, 2018 [1 favorite]
posted by D.C. at 2:39 PM on June 1, 2018 [1 favorite]
You do know that bees can be ordered through the mail, right?
I had heard that, but I thought it was part of some sort of . . . sting operation. *sunglasses*
Thank you. I'm here all week. Get away from me with those bees! What are you doing? Ouch!
posted by The Bellman at 2:42 PM on June 1, 2018 [33 favorites]
I had heard that, but I thought it was part of some sort of . . . sting operation. *sunglasses*
Thank you. I'm here all week. Get away from me with those bees! What are you doing? Ouch!
posted by The Bellman at 2:42 PM on June 1, 2018 [33 favorites]
The story seems to be missing the key part where the bees all head to Washington DC to save our country.
posted by medusa at 2:48 PM on June 1, 2018 [5 favorites]
posted by medusa at 2:48 PM on June 1, 2018 [5 favorites]
They advised if a swarm has attached to something on a person’s property that they all 903-784-6688, option ‘0’.
Watering cans... pets.... livestock... small children....
posted by zarq at 2:53 PM on June 1, 2018 [1 favorite]
Watering cans... pets.... livestock... small children....
posted by zarq at 2:53 PM on June 1, 2018 [1 favorite]
This thread but every time they say "bee" it gets faster.
posted by roger ackroyd at 2:53 PM on June 1, 2018 [12 favorites]
posted by roger ackroyd at 2:53 PM on June 1, 2018 [12 favorites]
oh those poor bees :(
posted by supermedusa at 2:55 PM on June 1, 2018 [13 favorites]
posted by supermedusa at 2:55 PM on June 1, 2018 [13 favorites]
we recently picked up 2 nuks in Grass Valley CA and then drove to Winters CA (abt 2 hours) well one of the nuks was not 100% secure and as we (I) drove I kept noticing 'hey there is a bee loose in the car'....'ok no big deal'...'hmmm now there are 3, now there are 10'
its a little unnerving to be in a car with random bees flying around! we did make it to Winters without any difficulties but it was a little stressful.
posted by supermedusa at 2:59 PM on June 1, 2018 [4 favorites]
its a little unnerving to be in a car with random bees flying around! we did make it to Winters without any difficulties but it was a little stressful.
posted by supermedusa at 2:59 PM on June 1, 2018 [4 favorites]
30 million bees
30 thousand pounds of bananas
It's all the same.
parki I don't know what that is in reference to but did you know that bees HATE the smell of bananas and will become very aggressive if you go near them with banana? banana smell is chemically similar to alarm pheromone and trigger defensive behavior.
posted by supermedusa at 3:01 PM on June 1, 2018 [11 favorites]
30 thousand pounds of bananas
It's all the same.
parki I don't know what that is in reference to but did you know that bees HATE the smell of bananas and will become very aggressive if you go near them with banana? banana smell is chemically similar to alarm pheromone and trigger defensive behavior.
posted by supermedusa at 3:01 PM on June 1, 2018 [11 favorites]
I wonder what it was like to be the truck driver right after this accident.
posted by zennie at 3:04 PM on June 1, 2018 [1 favorite]
posted by zennie at 3:04 PM on June 1, 2018 [1 favorite]
its a little unnerving to be in a car with random bees flying around
About a month ago I opened up my car door and a wasp flew in ahead of me. I mean a big one, not one of the little yellowjackets. I don't like to do this, but that's an insecticide sprayin', so I went inside for the can of flying insect killer, leaving the door open. Of course, when I returned, I could not find the wasp in the car. Because it was really gone? Or because it was hiding? No way to know! I considered using the insecticide to set fire to the car, but eventually decided to take my chances and drive to work.
posted by thelonius at 3:04 PM on June 1, 2018 [6 favorites]
About a month ago I opened up my car door and a wasp flew in ahead of me. I mean a big one, not one of the little yellowjackets. I don't like to do this, but that's an insecticide sprayin', so I went inside for the can of flying insect killer, leaving the door open. Of course, when I returned, I could not find the wasp in the car. Because it was really gone? Or because it was hiding? No way to know! I considered using the insecticide to set fire to the car, but eventually decided to take my chances and drive to work.
posted by thelonius at 3:04 PM on June 1, 2018 [6 favorites]
A semi-trailer truck carrying a reported 15-30 million honeybees overturned on an East Texas highway on Memorial Day.
Sometimes life just serves up the metaphor on a silver platter.
posted by chavenet at 3:08 PM on June 1, 2018 [3 favorites]
Sometimes life just serves up the metaphor on a silver platter.
posted by chavenet at 3:08 PM on June 1, 2018 [3 favorites]
if it was one of those big bald faced hornet motherfuckers, I would not have been so bold as to drive that car that day. Sweet jesus.
posted by seanmpuckett at 3:09 PM on June 1, 2018 [3 favorites]
posted by seanmpuckett at 3:09 PM on June 1, 2018 [3 favorites]
Bees?
posted by brook horse at 3:26 PM on June 1, 2018
posted by brook horse at 3:26 PM on June 1, 2018
What're you gonna do? Release the trucks full of bees that shoot out bees when they crash?
posted by loquacious at 3:35 PM on June 1, 2018 [2 favorites]
posted by loquacious at 3:35 PM on June 1, 2018 [2 favorites]
Has the Bee Bee See made a statement?
posted by GenjiandProust at 3:35 PM on June 1, 2018 [3 favorites]
posted by GenjiandProust at 3:35 PM on June 1, 2018 [3 favorites]
Once, when our daughter was still small and in a car seat that you could just click in from the stroller, my wife had just clicked it into place and suddenly noticed a bee flying through the car.
She noped the fuck out and ran away, leaving our daughter to be, presumably, stung.
(I chased it away when she told me what had happened. All was well.)
posted by uncleozzy at 3:39 PM on June 1, 2018 [1 favorite]
She noped the fuck out and ran away, leaving our daughter to be, presumably, stung.
(I chased it away when she told me what had happened. All was well.)
posted by uncleozzy at 3:39 PM on June 1, 2018 [1 favorite]
You do know that bees can be ordered through the mail, right?
I had heard that, but I thought it was part of some sort of . . . sting operation. *sunglasses*
Better call in a... swat team. YEAAAH!
posted by SPrintF at 3:42 PM on June 1, 2018 [8 favorites]
I had heard that, but I thought it was part of some sort of . . . sting operation. *sunglasses*
Better call in a... swat team. YEAAAH!
posted by SPrintF at 3:42 PM on June 1, 2018 [8 favorites]
You can run but you can’t...hive.
posted by Insert Clever Name Here at 3:43 PM on June 1, 2018 [6 favorites]
posted by Insert Clever Name Here at 3:43 PM on June 1, 2018 [6 favorites]
Well, I'll say it was about time the biblical plagues received an update. As far as I can tell, we're at
1. Chocolate
2. Bees
But what's next? There's eight still to go! Lawyers, possibly?
posted by kleinsteradikaleminderheit at 3:46 PM on June 1, 2018 [1 favorite]
1. Chocolate
2. Bees
But what's next? There's eight still to go! Lawyers, possibly?
posted by kleinsteradikaleminderheit at 3:46 PM on June 1, 2018 [1 favorite]
Republicans.
posted by Autumnheart at 3:52 PM on June 1, 2018 [3 favorites]
posted by Autumnheart at 3:52 PM on June 1, 2018 [3 favorites]
AT LAST
posted by poffin boffin at 4:13 PM on June 1, 2018 [2 favorites]
posted by poffin boffin at 4:13 PM on June 1, 2018 [2 favorites]
bees HATE the smell of bananas and will become very aggressive if you go near them with banana
this is great because the exact same thing happens to me in the presence of The Accursed Banane; the gas commercially used to accelerate ripening is an incredibly severe migraine trigger for many people, apparently.
posted by poffin boffin at 4:16 PM on June 1, 2018 [5 favorites]
this is great because the exact same thing happens to me in the presence of The Accursed Banane; the gas commercially used to accelerate ripening is an incredibly severe migraine trigger for many people, apparently.
posted by poffin boffin at 4:16 PM on June 1, 2018 [5 favorites]
If you are freaked out by bee trucks and bees in the mail don't do any research on the arachnid trade.
I've helped pack and ship a male tarantula for breeding. We got back a nice shipment of a hundred 2nd instar tarantula babies. Google 2nd instar tarantulas for pictures of cute babies.
There is also a significant trade of black widow egg sacs. One of the groups in my area used to ship about 150 sacks a year. With a usual delivery time of about 4 days crappy math says that at any one time there is at least one black widow egg sack traveling across the US.
My contact info was available in a Usenet post for a long time after I left the live invertebrate hobby. For years I would put any small packages in the freezer overnight before opening them. I recommend you all do the same.
posted by Dr. Curare at 4:30 PM on June 1, 2018 [15 favorites]
I've helped pack and ship a male tarantula for breeding. We got back a nice shipment of a hundred 2nd instar tarantula babies. Google 2nd instar tarantulas for pictures of cute babies.
There is also a significant trade of black widow egg sacs. One of the groups in my area used to ship about 150 sacks a year. With a usual delivery time of about 4 days crappy math says that at any one time there is at least one black widow egg sack traveling across the US.
My contact info was available in a Usenet post for a long time after I left the live invertebrate hobby. For years I would put any small packages in the freezer overnight before opening them. I recommend you all do the same.
posted by Dr. Curare at 4:30 PM on June 1, 2018 [15 favorites]
30 thousand pounds of bananas
In which Harry Chapin proved he had a mildly weird sense of humor (and there are several live performances on YouTube where he added 'alternate endings').
"It was just after dark when the truck started down
The hill that leads into Scranton Pennsylvania..."
But the song contains no bees or other insectae.
posted by oneswellfoop at 4:32 PM on June 1, 2018 [2 favorites]
In which Harry Chapin proved he had a mildly weird sense of humor (and there are several live performances on YouTube where he added 'alternate endings').
"It was just after dark when the truck started down
The hill that leads into Scranton Pennsylvania..."
But the song contains no bees or other insectae.
posted by oneswellfoop at 4:32 PM on June 1, 2018 [2 favorites]
From The Vegetables's link about the geography of the bee trade above: Sensing opportunity, apiaries from North Dakota, Texas, Florida, and the other forty seven states find their way to the Central Valley.
My inner pedant wonders if the Central Valley's got statehood. Other inner pedants are sceptical about Hawaiian beekeepers sending bees to California, and whether North Dakota is grouped with Texas and Florida in any other contexts.
I have a lot of love for bees, and I'd happily have watched that cloud of crashed truck bees from a distance for peaceful hours as they were gathered up or dispersed themselves. I'm hoping not too many died, because they're warm and fluffy and they smell sweet and they flap around and investigate things, and they're just lovely.
posted by ambrosen at 4:43 PM on June 1, 2018 [6 favorites]
My inner pedant wonders if the Central Valley's got statehood. Other inner pedants are sceptical about Hawaiian beekeepers sending bees to California, and whether North Dakota is grouped with Texas and Florida in any other contexts.
I have a lot of love for bees, and I'd happily have watched that cloud of crashed truck bees from a distance for peaceful hours as they were gathered up or dispersed themselves. I'm hoping not too many died, because they're warm and fluffy and they smell sweet and they flap around and investigate things, and they're just lovely.
posted by ambrosen at 4:43 PM on June 1, 2018 [6 favorites]
1. Chocolate
2. Bees
But what's next?
Paint.
posted by The otter lady at 5:04 PM on June 1, 2018 [1 favorite]
2. Bees
But what's next?
Paint.
posted by The otter lady at 5:04 PM on June 1, 2018 [1 favorite]
Oprah and Cage? Pff.
Michael Caine feels the sting of betrayal...
posted by Naberius at 5:46 PM on June 1, 2018 [1 favorite]
Michael Caine feels the sting of betrayal...
posted by Naberius at 5:46 PM on June 1, 2018 [1 favorite]
That reminds me of a short story by Arthur C. Clark.
posted by Big Al 8000 at 6:55 PM on June 1, 2018 [1 favorite]
posted by Big Al 8000 at 6:55 PM on June 1, 2018 [1 favorite]
There is also a significant trade of black widow egg sacs. One of the groups in my area used to ship about 150 sacks a year. With a usual delivery time of about 4 days crappy math says that at any one time there is at least one black widow egg sack traveling across the US.
That's just the ones that are intentionally shipped. I'm sure there are any number of vehicles, shipping containers, etc. that have a few hitchhiking black widows and/or eggs. (I might have one in a dark corner of my garage but haven't bothered to look too closely.)
posted by TedW at 7:34 PM on June 1, 2018
That's just the ones that are intentionally shipped. I'm sure there are any number of vehicles, shipping containers, etc. that have a few hitchhiking black widows and/or eggs. (I might have one in a dark corner of my garage but haven't bothered to look too closely.)
posted by TedW at 7:34 PM on June 1, 2018
How about a monster truck battle between monster trucks full of bees
posted by XMLicious at 11:40 PM on June 1, 2018 [3 favorites]
posted by XMLicious at 11:40 PM on June 1, 2018 [3 favorites]
A bee apparently weighs about a tenth of a gram. So that would make the bee-weight alone approximately 3 tons.
3 tons of bees.
posted by howfar at 2:41 AM on June 2, 2018 [2 favorites]
3 tons of bees.
posted by howfar at 2:41 AM on June 2, 2018 [2 favorites]
A bee apparently weighs about a tenth of a gram. So that would make the bee-weight alone approximately 3 tons.
What if they were flying around inside the truck?
posted by Joe in Australia at 7:02 AM on June 2, 2018 [1 favorite]
What if they were flying around inside the truck?
posted by Joe in Australia at 7:02 AM on June 2, 2018 [1 favorite]
You can run but you can’t...hive.
Oh, honey.
posted by nickmark at 8:51 AM on June 2, 2018 [3 favorites]
Oh, honey.
posted by nickmark at 8:51 AM on June 2, 2018 [3 favorites]
During the accident, experts say the hives experienced a significant number of Bee G’s, despite which they seem to be stayin’ alive.
posted by Salvor Hardin at 8:52 AM on June 2, 2018 [2 favorites]
posted by Salvor Hardin at 8:52 AM on June 2, 2018 [2 favorites]
1. Chocolate
2. Bees
But what's next?
Paint.
Chicken feathers.
Ew.
posted by mandolin conspiracy at 9:47 AM on June 2, 2018 [2 favorites]
2. Bees
But what's next?
Paint.
Chicken feathers.
Ew.
posted by mandolin conspiracy at 9:47 AM on June 2, 2018 [2 favorites]
Oh, honey.
I'd make a bee pun, but I don't want to ape ya re this.
I got nuthin
posted by howfar at 12:45 PM on June 2, 2018 [2 favorites]
I'd make a bee pun, but I don't want to ape ya re this.
I got nuthin
posted by howfar at 12:45 PM on June 2, 2018 [2 favorites]
In Seattle our major truck crashes usually involve seafood.
posted by matildaben at 7:57 PM on June 2, 2018
posted by matildaben at 7:57 PM on June 2, 2018
1)Chocolate
2)Bees
3)Paint
4)Chicken Feathers
5) Sea Food
6) Molasses
HALF WAY THERE! LET'S DO THIS!!!!
posted by es_de_bah at 11:55 AM on June 3, 2018 [3 favorites]
2)Bees
3)Paint
4)Chicken Feathers
5) Sea Food
6) Molasses
HALF WAY THERE! LET'S DO THIS!!!!
posted by es_de_bah at 11:55 AM on June 3, 2018 [3 favorites]
My last four:
7) Fracking- induced earthquakes and inflammable tap water
8) Canada Geese
9) Dank, racist memes
10) Self driving cars which don't recognize or brake for pedestrians in yoga pants or pedestrians with mustaches.
posted by es_de_bah at 12:05 PM on June 3, 2018 [4 favorites]
7) Fracking- induced earthquakes and inflammable tap water
8) Canada Geese
9) Dank, racist memes
10) Self driving cars which don't recognize or brake for pedestrians in yoga pants or pedestrians with mustaches.
posted by es_de_bah at 12:05 PM on June 3, 2018 [4 favorites]
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Truck carrying 30 million bees overturns in Texas
posted by grobertson at 1:53 PM on June 1, 2018