Bees, hives spill onto highway

LAS VEGAS, Dec. 16 (UPI) -- Nevada troopers have handled all kinds of spills but this one came with lots of sting -- millions of bees and hives that fell off a truck near Las Vegas.

The spill forced troopers to close the ramp at Interstate 15 and U.S. Highway 95 for more than four hours Wednesday, the Las Vegas Review-Journal reports.

But that still left the matter of taking care of the bees. The highway patrol summoned Don Grogan, owner of Sedona Honey Co. and a beekeeper with 46 years of experience. Grogan said the truck was carrying 480 bee colonies for a total of 12 million bees.

The bees were on their way to California's San Joaquin Valley to pollinate almond groves when the truck driver lost control on a ramp near Las Vegas and spilled the load.

But many of the bees could not be saved. Their owner, who drove in from Utah, shoveled up the broken hives and bee carcasses.