Half a Million Bees Killed in Netherlands Arson Attack.
A beekeeper from the Netherlands has expressed dismay after his ten colonies were burned down in a public garden in the central city of Almere, causing the death of an approximated half a million bees.
The beekeeper mentioned that every colony contained a population of forty to sixty thousand bees, and the idea that anyone could destroy them was horrific.
"It is deeply painful that my 10 hives have perished," he told local broadcaster.
Police in Almere, located to the east of Amsterdam, have appealed for witnesses after the arson attack on Tuesday night in the city's scenic Beatrixpark. They shared pictures of the blaze on social media.
The Netherlands authorities says that over 50% of the country's 360 types of bee are at threat of extinction, as the population of bees decreases around the world.
The beekeeper said that authorities had informed him an accelerant had been employed to ignite the colonies, which were placed on wooden platforms in a forested area of the garden.
Barely any of the insects survived and he noted that he had little faith the arsonist would be apprehended.
Another apiarist a local beekeeper told Dutch radio that she had three hives and planned to donate a colony.
For the beekeeper, who cared for the bees for about nine years, 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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