Half a Million Bees Killed in Netherlands Fire Incident.
A Dutch beekeeper has voiced shock after his 10 beehives were burned down in a public garden in the central city of Almere, resulting in the death of an approximated 500,000 bees.
Harold Stringer mentioned that each hive housed a colony of 40-60,000 bees, and the thought that anyone could destroy them was devastating.
"It is deeply painful that my 10 hives have died," he told regional media.
Police in Almere, which sits to the northeast of Amsterdam, have requested witnesses after the deliberate fire on Tuesday night in the city's scenic Beatrixpark. They shared pictures of the fire on online platforms.
The Dutch government says that more than half of the country's 360 species of bee are at risk of dying out, as the number of bees declines globally.
The beekeeper explained that police had told him an flammable substance had been employed to ignite the colonies, which were placed on pallets in a wooded part of the park.
Barely any of the bees made it through and he said that he had little faith the perpetrator would be caught.
Fellow beekeeper Heleen Nieman stated on national radio that she had three hives and wanted to donate a colony.
For Mr Stringer, who looked after the bees for about nine years, the fire means building a fresh hive in the area from the beginning.
But he affirms he will continue his efforts.
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