Half a Million Honeybees Perish in Netherlands Deliberate Blaze.
A beekeeper from the Netherlands has voiced shock after his ten colonies were burned down in a public garden in the city of Almere, causing the loss of an estimated half a million bees.
The beekeeper stated that each hive contained a population of 40-60,000 bees, and the idea that anyone could destroy them was horrific.
"It is deeply painful that my 10 hives have died," he told local broadcaster.
Police in Almere, located to the east of Amsterdam, have requested witnesses after the arson attack on Tuesday night in the city's picturesque Beatrixpark. They shared images of the blaze on online platforms.
The Dutch government reports that more than half of the country's 360 species of bee are at risk of extinction, as the number of bees declines globally.
The beekeeper said that police had told him an accelerant had been employed to burn the hives, which were sitting on pallets in a wooded part of the park.
Almost none of the bees made it through and he said that he had doubt the arsonist would be caught.
Another apiarist a local beekeeper told national radio that she had three bee colonies and planned to donate a colony.
For Mr Stringer, who cared for the colonies for about nine years, the fire means building a fresh hive in the area from the beginning.
But he insists he will continue his efforts.
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