Half a Million Honeybees Killed in Netherlands Arson Attack.
A Dutch beekeeper has expressed shock after his 10 beehives were set ablaze in a public garden in the central city of Almere, causing the death of an approximated half a million bees.
The beekeeper stated that each hive housed a population of 40-60,000 bees, and the thought that anyone could destroy them was horrific.
"It really hurts that my 10 hives have perished," he informed local broadcaster.
Law enforcement in Almere, which sits to the northeast of Amsterdam, have appealed for observers after the arson attack on Tuesday evening in the city's scenic Beatrixpark. They shared pictures of the fire on online platforms.
The Netherlands authorities reports 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 police had informed him an flammable substance had been employed to ignite the hives, which were sitting on wooden platforms in a forested area of the garden.
Almost none of the insects survived and he said that he had doubt the perpetrator would be caught.
Fellow beekeeper Heleen Nieman stated on national radio that she had three hives and wanted to give him a colony.
For the beekeeper, who cared for the colonies for about nine years, the fire means starting a fresh hive in the area from the beginning.
But he affirms he will continue his efforts.
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