500,000 Bees Perish in Dutch Arson Attack.
A beekeeper from the Netherlands has expressed shock after his ten colonies were burned down in a park in the city of Almere, causing the loss of an estimated half a million bees.
The beekeeper mentioned that every colony contained a population of 40-60,000 bees, and the thought that anyone could destroy them was horrific.
"It really hurts that my ten colonies have died," he informed local broadcaster.
Law enforcement in Almere, located to the east of Amsterdam, have appealed for observers after the deliberate fire on Tuesday night in the city's scenic Beatrixpark. They shared pictures of the fire on social media.
The Netherlands authorities reports that over 50% of the nation's 360 species of bee are at threat of dying out, as the number of bees decreases globally.
The beekeeper said that police had told him an flammable substance had been employed to burn the colonies, which were sitting on pallets in a wooded part of the park.
Barely any of the bees made it through and he said that he had doubt the arsonist would be caught.
Fellow beekeeper Heleen Nieman told national radio that she had three hives and planned to give him one of them.
For the beekeeper, who cared for the bees for about almost a decade, the incident means building a new colony in the park from the beginning.
But he affirms he will continue his efforts.
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