Half a Million Honeybees Perish in Dutch Fire Incident.
A Dutch beekeeper has expressed dismay after his ten colonies were burned down in a park in the city of Almere, resulting in the loss of an approximated 500,000 bees.
The beekeeper stated that every colony contained a colony of 40-60,000 bees, and the thought that anyone could destroy them was horrific.
"It is deeply painful that my ten colonies have died," he told regional media.
Law enforcement in Almere, located to the east of Amsterdam, have requested observers after the arson attack on Tuesday night in the city's scenic Beatrixpark. They shared images of the blaze on social media.
The Netherlands authorities says that over 50% of the country's 360 species of bee are at risk of extinction, as the population of bees declines globally.
The beekeeper explained that authorities had told him an accelerant had been employed to ignite the colonies, which were sitting on pallets in a wooded part of the garden.
Almost none of the insects survived and he said that he had little faith the perpetrator would be caught.
Fellow beekeeper Heleen Nieman stated on Dutch radio that she had three hives and wanted to donate a colony.
For the beekeeper, who looked after the colonies for about nine years, the incident means building a fresh hive in the area from scratch.
But he insists he will continue his efforts.
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- 'One Million Bees' Killed in Hives Arson Attack.
