500,000 Bees Perish in Netherlands Deliberate Blaze.
A beekeeper from the Netherlands has voiced shock after his ten colonies were set ablaze in a public garden in the city of Almere, causing the death of an approximated 500,000 bees.
Harold Stringer stated that each hive housed a colony of 40-60,000 bees, and the thought that someone could destroy them was horrific.
"It really hurts that my 10 hives have perished," he told regional media.
Police in Almere, located to the northeast of Amsterdam, have requested witnesses after the arson attack on Tuesday evening in the city's picturesque Beatrixpark. They shared pictures of the blaze on social media.
The Netherlands authorities reports that over 50% of the country's 360 types of bee are at risk of extinction, as the number of bees declines around the world.
Mr Stringer explained that police had informed him an flammable substance had been used to burn the colonies, which were placed on pallets in a wooded part of the park.
Barely any of the insects survived and he said that he had doubt the perpetrator would be apprehended.
Fellow beekeeper Heleen Nieman stated on national radio that she had three hives and wanted to give him one of them.
For Mr Stringer, who looked after the colonies for about nine years, the incident means building a fresh hive in the park from scratch.
But he insists he will continue his efforts.
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