Lorry carrying 12m bees overturns

[Trumplestiltskin 5,791]

Motorists on Canada's biggest highway ended up with a bee in their bonnet after a truck transporting 12m of the insects overturned.

The lorry was carrying 330 crates of honey bees when it tipped over on a ramp in St Leonard, New Brunswick.

Bee experts were called in to help deal with the accident on the Trans-Canada Highway.

Royal Canadian Mounted Police said a downpour of rain helped to contain the bees in and around the vehicle.

"Bees don't like the rain... thousands of bees are hanging on the back of this truck and on the pavement right behind," said police spokesman Derek Strong.

'Disoriented and agitated'

The BBC's Lee Carter in Toronto says the bees had been used to pollinate a crop of blueberries, and were being transported home when the accident happened.

Afterwards, the highway was closed and beekeepers in white protective suits attempted to lure the insects back to their hives.

A Canadian journalist who tried to get too close to the overturned truck was stung several times, but no-one has been seriously injured, says our correspondent.

Experts said it was unlikely that the bees would survive very long without the care of experienced beekeepers.

Richard Duplain, vice president of the New Brunswick Beekeepers Association, told AP news agency the bees would quite likely be angered by their ordeal.

"You certainly don't want to go walking through a field of disoriented, agitated and wet honey bees," he said.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/americas/7482609.stm

Reporters ask silly questions...

[Nagishkaw 510]

Watch out for those Stingrays.

[Ban Hammer 13,342]

Watch out for those Stingrays.

the town was abuzz with this news.

[Krikit 1,164]

If they'd found a BP station they would've been alright.

[CBR 0]

If they'd found a BP station they would've been alright.

[one...two...tree 2,762]

Reporters ask silly questions...

LOL...yep.

[Mags 112]

I hope they manage to get them back in their hives with minimal damage and death. Bees are amazing little creatures and the world needs them!

Take care little bee-peeps.

[one...two...tree 2,762]

I hope they manage to get them back in their hives with minimal damage and death. Bees are amazing little creatures and the world needs them!

Take care little bee-peeps.

Amen to that, sister. Hats off to all cross pollinaters...bats, Blue Tits, and others.

[Ban Hammer 13,342]

I hope they manage to get them back in their hives with minimal damage and death. Bees are amazing little creatures and the world needs them!

Take care little bee-peeps.

if they do save them, will you bee happy?

[Nagishkaw 510]

I was hoping you weren't going to tell her to buzz off.

[Ban Hammer 13,342]

I was hoping you weren't going to tell her to buzz off.

that would have her humming like an angry hornet.

[Trumplestiltskin 5,791]

I hope they manage to get them back in their hives with minimal damage and death. Bees are amazing little creatures and the world needs them!

Take care little bee-peeps.

Sounds like a job for Michael Caine in his Hawaiian shirt... If anyone remembers that atrocious movie...