Millions of bees escaped after a truck's cargo toppled over.

The vehicle was hauling an estimated 70,000 lbs of beehives when it overturned on a Washington state roadway on Friday, May 30.

Initial reports suggested that up to 250 million bees had escaped, but officials later clarified the number was closer to 14 million.

The Whatcom County Sheriff's Office (WCSO) said: 'The plan is to allow the bees to re-hive and find their queen bee. That should occur within the next 24 to 48 hours. The goal is to save as many of the bees as possible.'

More than two dozen volunteer beekeepers assisted in restoring the hives that had become dislodged during the rollover.

Footage shows the destroyed truck in the middle of the road, with thousands of winged insects visibly swarming around the area.

Cleanup and recovery efforts were completed by Sunday morning, while the cause of the road crash remains under investigation.