Half a Million Bees Killed in Netherlands Arson Attack.
A beekeeper from the Netherlands has voiced shock after his ten colonies were burned down in a park in the central city of Almere, causing the loss of an approximated half a million bees.
The beekeeper mentioned that every colony contained a population of 40-60,000 bees, and the thought that anyone could destroy them was horrific.
"It is deeply painful that my 10 hives have died," he informed local broadcaster.
Police in Almere, which sits to the northeast of Amsterdam, have requested witnesses after the deliberate fire on Tuesday evening in the city's scenic Beatrixpark. They shared images of the fire on online platforms.
The Dutch government says that more than half of the nation's 360 types of bee are at risk of extinction, as the number of bees declines globally.
The beekeeper explained that police had informed him an accelerant had been employed to ignite the colonies, which were sitting on pallets in a forested area of the garden.
Almost none of the insects survived and he said that he had doubt the perpetrator would be apprehended.
Fellow beekeeper Heleen Nieman told Dutch radio that she had three hives and wanted to give him one of them.
For Mr Stringer, who looked after the colonies for about nine years, the incident means building a new colony in the area from scratch.
But he affirms he will continue his efforts.
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