500,000 Honeybees Killed in Netherlands Fire Incident.
A Dutch beekeeper has expressed dismay after his ten colonies were set ablaze in a park in the city of Almere, resulting in the loss of an approximated 500,000 bees.
The beekeeper stated that each hive housed a colony of forty to sixty thousand bees, and the idea that anyone could kill them was horrific.
"It really hurts that my ten colonies have died," he informed local broadcaster.
Police in Almere, which sits to the east of Amsterdam, have appealed for witnesses after the deliberate fire on Tuesday night 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 types of bee are at risk of extinction, as the population of bees decreases globally.
The beekeeper said that authorities had told him an accelerant had been employed to ignite the colonies, which were placed on wooden platforms in a wooded part of the park.
Barely any of the bees made it through and he noted that he had little faith the perpetrator would be apprehended.
Another apiarist a local beekeeper stated on Dutch radio that she had three hives and planned to donate one of them.
For Mr Stringer, who looked after the colonies for about nine years, the incident means starting a fresh hive in the park from scratch.
But he insists he will continue his efforts.
Similar Incidents
- 'One Million Bees' Killed in Deliberate Hive Fire.
