Bee truck crash near Crater Lake prompts volunteers to rescue hives

A semitruck carrying hundreds of commercial bee boxes overturned March 17 near Diamond Lake, Oregon, scattering hives and releasing millions of honeybees; beekeepers and volunteers worked over nine days to recover and rehome surviving colonies.

A semitruck hauling hundreds of commercial bee boxes overturned on March 17 about nine miles west of Diamond Lake, near the turnoff for Crater Lake National Park in Oregon. The crash scattered hive boxes down a steep embankment, spilled diesel and released millions of honeybees into the roadside forest. Beekeepers and volunteers spent nine days at the scene salvaging broken boxes, searching for queens and trying to reassemble colonies. People came from several Oregon towns and northern California to assist, working together to move salvageable hives uphill. Key details: - The overturn occurred on March 17 near Diamond Lake, and the wreck blocked the highway for hours and spilled diesel into the area. - The load contained hundreds of commercial bee boxes; the spill released what attendees described as millions of honeybees across the hillside. - Volunteers began arriving within days; one organizer estimated about 50 people on one of the busiest rescue days, including commercial and hobby beekeepers. - Rescue actions included forming chains to pass salvaged boxes uphill, opening clumps of bees to look for queens, and rehoming intact colonies. - The Oregon Department of Transportation has not announced a cause; some beekeepers familiar with the road suggested speed on the winding route may have contributed. - Responding beekeepers reported adopting many of the abandoned colonies, and a March 25 rain ended most on-site recovery; remaining stragglers were reported likely to succumb to cold without shelter. Summary: Volunteers and beekeepers recovered and rehomed many surviving colonies after the crash, and several beekeepers adopted abandoned hives for their operations. Undetermined at this time.