500,000 Bees Perish in Netherlands Fire Incident.
A Dutch beekeeper has expressed shock after his 10 beehives were set ablaze in a public garden in the central city of Almere, causing the death of an estimated half a million bees.
The beekeeper mentioned that every colony contained a population of 40-60,000 bees, and the idea that someone could destroy them was devastating.
"It really hurts that my ten colonies have perished," he informed local broadcaster.
Law enforcement in Almere, located to the northeast of Amsterdam, have appealed for observers after the arson attack on Tuesday night in the city's scenic Beatrixpark. They posted images of the fire on social media.
The Dutch government says that over 50% of the nation's 360 species of bee are at risk of extinction, as the population of bees decreases around the world.
Mr Stringer said that police had told him an accelerant had been employed to ignite the colonies, which were sitting on pallets in a forested area of the park.
Almost none of the insects survived and he said that he had doubt the arsonist would be apprehended.
Another apiarist Heleen Nieman 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 building a new colony in the park from the beginning.
But he affirms he will not give up.
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