500,000 Honeybees Perish in Netherlands Arson Attack.
A Dutch beekeeper has expressed dismay after his ten colonies were burned down in a park in the central city of Almere, resulting in the loss of an estimated half a million bees.
The beekeeper stated that each hive contained a colony of forty to sixty thousand bees, and the idea that someone could kill them was devastating.
"It is deeply painful that my ten colonies have perished," he told local broadcaster.
Law enforcement in Almere, located to the northeast of Amsterdam, have requested witnesses after the arson attack on Tuesday night in the city's scenic Beatrixpark. They shared pictures of the fire on online platforms.
The Dutch government reports that over 50% of the nation's 360 species of bee are at risk of dying out, as the population of bees decreases around the world.
The beekeeper said that police had informed him an accelerant had been used to ignite the colonies, which were placed on pallets in a forested area of the park.
Barely any of the bees made it through and he said that he had little faith the perpetrator would be apprehended.
Fellow beekeeper Heleen Nieman stated on national radio that she had three bee colonies and wanted to donate a colony.
For Mr Stringer, who looked after the bees for about almost a decade, the incident means starting a fresh hive in the park from scratch.
But he insists he will continue his efforts.
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