Police in the Canadian province of Ontario called in several beekeepers for backup when approximately 5 million angry bees escaped from wooden boxes that had toppled off a truck and were swarming a two-lane road in nearby Burlington.
At approximately 6:15 AM on Wednesday, a call was received by the Halton Regional Police, notifying them that crates filled with bees had come loose from a truck and spilled onto a road in Burlington, Ontario.
"We're not sure how or what exactly took place, but at some point the boxes containing bees or beehives slid off the trailer and spilled all over the road," Constable Ryan Anderson told CBC News.
"Officers are dealing with a load of 5 million bees that fell off a truck onto the roadway," police said in a post on X.
"Passing vehicles and residents are advised to close windows, and pedestrians should avoid the area until clear."
Police told CHCH News the bees "unleashed havoc" as their crates crashed onto the roadway.
Later, the police department posted that the beekeepers helped in the cleanup: "Thanks to the beekeepers who have arrived on scene to assist with the cleanup. Much appreciated.
We ask residents to continue to avoid the area as the cleanup is expected to take some time," they said.
While the authorities reported that the situation was resolved by early afternoon, it's advised for both drivers and residents in the vicinity to keep their windows closed as a precautionary measure.
"It sounds bigger than it is for the most part, because a colony of bees could be 80,000 bees," Mr Peters, who takes care of the nearly 400,000 bees at nearby Royal Botanical Gardens, told CBC News.
"It kind of depends on how many colonies there are, and no doubt to a non-beekeeper, that would be rather intense to see regardless... It's important for people to understand that honey bees are fairly gentle and really don't bother people unless they are bothered. This is a rare situation where you have to keep your distance from them."
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