Travelers on I-40 in Knoxville, Tenn., were forced to brake for workers — and drones, and maybe even a queen — when a truck carrying about a million bees crashed. The swarm shut down an exit of the interstate, but the good news is that there were no injuries. Authorities didn't say how many hives were being transported, but large-scale bee shipments are commonly used by commercial beekeepers to support agriculture and pollination efforts across the country. Drivers stuck near the crash were told to stay inside their cars as bees filled the air around the highway ramp. Beekeepers in protective suits worked alongside crews to regain control of the swarm, which had clustered around the wreckage and nearby roadway. Mark Nagi, a spokesperson for the Tennessee Department of Transportation posted a photo of a beekeeper in a protective suit on social media with the comment, “Unless you’re dressed in this outfit, please stay in your vehicles in this area.” Officials didn’t say what caused the crash but said the bees were eventually contained and removed, bringing an unusual highway shutdown to an end.
