Millions of honey bees poured into a rural neighbourhood in southeast Texas after an 18-wheeler carrying hundreds of beehives overturned, sending local beekeepers racing to save the colonies.

Residents of a Texas neighborhood were warned to remain indoors when a semi truck overturned and released an estimated 2 million bees into the road.

Officials say millions of honeybees escaped into a rural Texas neighborhood after a semitrailer carrying about 400 hives tipped over.