Half a Million Bees Killed in Netherlands Deliberate Blaze.
A Dutch beekeeper has voiced dismay after his ten colonies were burned down in a park in the city of Almere, resulting in the loss of an estimated half a million bees.
The beekeeper mentioned that each hive housed a population of 40-60,000 bees, and the thought that someone could destroy them was horrific.
"It really hurts that my ten colonies have perished," he informed local broadcaster.
Law enforcement in Almere, located to the east of Amsterdam, have appealed for witnesses after the deliberate fire on Tuesday evening in the city's scenic Beatrixpark. They shared pictures of the blaze on social media.
The Dutch government says that more than half of the country's 360 types of bee are at risk of dying out, as the number of bees declines globally.
The beekeeper explained that police had informed him an flammable substance had been used to burn the colonies, which were sitting on pallets in a wooded part of the garden.
Barely any of the bees survived and he noted that he had doubt the arsonist would be caught.
Another apiarist a local beekeeper told Dutch radio that she had three hives and planned to donate one of them.
For the beekeeper, who cared for the colonies for about almost a decade, the incident means starting a new colony in the area from the beginning.
But he insists he will not give up.
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