More than a year after the massive new Harbor Bridge opened in Corpus Christi, crews have discovered something unexpected living beneath it: about 45,000 honey bees.
The bees were found tucked beneath a drainage utility cover at the bridge project, according to FlatironDragados, the construction company working on the project.
Rather than exterminate the buzzing residents, crews called a local honey farm to move them.
The approximately 45,000 bees were carefully removed and relocated to a new home, where they’ll be monitored for the next three months before potentially joining other healthy colonies used for honey production.
“The relocation reflects environmental practices associated with the Texas Department of Transportation, which promotes pollinator-friendly roadside management and habitat preservation,” FlatironDragados said in a statement. “Early coordination with environmental specialists and local organizations can help project teams respond to unexpected ecological conditions while maintaining construction progress.”
So, yes, Texas’ tallest bridge apparently has a bee problem. But it’s one the bees are going to survive.
A very big bridge 
Construction crews discovered about 45,000 honey bees beneath the Harbor Bridge in Corpus Christi. (Harbor Bridge Project)
The new Harbor Bridge isn’t exactly an ordinary bridge.
The 538-foot-tall structure is the tallest point in South Texas and has the longest concrete segmental cable-stayed main span in North America. Its main span stretches 1,661 feet across the Corpus Christi Ship Channel, allowing much larger ships to pass beneath it.
The $1.3 billion bridge opened to southbound traffic on June 28, 2025, after years of construction and delays. The northbound lanes followed in July.
Cracks on the bridge?
The bridge has already had its share of unexpected attention. In July, photos and videos showing cracks in portions of the massive structure sparked questions about whether the newly opened bridge was safe. The project team said the cracks were cosmetic surface cracks, not a structural safety concern, and that crews were addressing them as part of routine maintenance.
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This article originally published at Texas’ tallest bridge has some very unexpected tenants.