500,000 Honeybees Perish in Netherlands Deliberate Blaze.
A beekeeper from the Netherlands has voiced dismay after his 10 beehives were burned down in a park in the central city of Almere, resulting in the loss of an approximated 500,000 bees.
Harold Stringer stated that each hive contained a colony of 40-60,000 bees, and the thought that anyone could destroy them was devastating.
"It really hurts that my 10 hives have perished," he told local broadcaster.
Law enforcement in Almere, located to the northeast of Amsterdam, have appealed for witnesses after the arson attack on Tuesday evening in the city's scenic Beatrixpark. They posted pictures of the blaze on online platforms.
The Dutch government reports that over 50% of the nation's 360 species of bee are at threat of dying out, as the population of bees declines globally.
Mr Stringer said that police had informed him an accelerant had been employed to burn the colonies, which were placed on wooden platforms in a wooded part of the garden.
Almost none of the bees made it through and he noted that he had doubt the perpetrator would be apprehended.
Fellow beekeeper a local beekeeper told Dutch radio that she had three bee colonies and planned to donate a colony.
For Mr Stringer, who looked after the bees for about almost a decade, the fire means starting a fresh hive in the park from scratch.
But he affirms he will continue his efforts.
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