Half a Million Honeybees Perish in Dutch Deliberate Blaze.
A beekeeper from the Netherlands has voiced dismay after his ten colonies were burned down in a park in the central city of Almere, resulting in the loss of an estimated half a million bees.
The beekeeper stated that each hive housed a population of forty to sixty thousand bees, and the thought that anyone could destroy them was horrific.
"It is deeply painful that my ten colonies have perished," he informed regional media.
Police in Almere, located to the east of Amsterdam, have requested witnesses after the deliberate fire on Tuesday night in the city's scenic Beatrixpark. They shared images of the blaze on online platforms.
The Dutch government says that over 50% of the nation's 360 types of bee are at threat of extinction, as the number of bees declines around the world.
Mr Stringer said that authorities had informed him an flammable substance had been employed to burn the colonies, which were placed on pallets in a wooded part of the park.
Almost none of the insects survived and he noted that he had little faith the perpetrator would be caught.
Another apiarist a local beekeeper stated on Dutch radio that she had three hives and planned to donate a colony.
For Mr Stringer, who looked after the bees for about nine years, the incident means starting a fresh hive in the area from scratch.
But he affirms he will not give up.
Similar Events
- A Million Bees Killed in Deliberate Hive Fire.