Half a Million Bees Perish in Dutch Fire Incident.
A Dutch beekeeper has voiced dismay after his ten colonies were set ablaze in a public garden in the city of Almere, causing the loss of an estimated half a million bees.
The beekeeper mentioned that each hive housed a colony of forty to sixty thousand bees, and the thought that someone could destroy them was horrific.
"It really hurts that my ten colonies have died," he informed regional media.
Law enforcement in Almere, located to the east of Amsterdam, have requested witnesses after the deliberate fire on Tuesday evening in the city's picturesque Beatrixpark. They shared images of the blaze on online platforms.
The Dutch government says that over 50% of the country's 360 species of bee are at threat of dying out, as the number of bees declines around the world.
Mr Stringer said that police had told him an accelerant had been used to ignite the colonies, which were placed on wooden platforms in a forested area of the garden.
Barely any of the bees survived and he noted that he had doubt the arsonist would be caught.
Another apiarist a local beekeeper stated on Dutch radio that she had three hives and planned to give him a colony.
For Mr Stringer, who cared for the bees for about almost a decade, the incident means starting a new colony in the area from scratch.
But he insists he will not give up.
Similar Events
- 'One Million Bees' Lost in Hives Arson Attack.
