In a heartbreaking incident in the Dutch city of Almere, a local beekeeper has lost ten of his beehives, along with an estimated half a million bees, due to a suspected arson attack.
Harold Stringer, the owner of the apiaries, spoke of his devastation upon discovering the destruction. He explained that each hive typically housed between 40,000 and 60,000 bees, making the scale of the loss particularly staggering. “It really hurts that my 10 hives have died,” he told local broadcaster Omroep Flevoland.
The attack occurred on Tuesday evening in Beatrixpark, a popular green space in Almere, east of Amsterdam. Police are actively investigating the incident and have appealed to the public for any information. Images of the fire, which engulfed the hives, were shared on social media by the authorities.
The incident highlights a growing concern for bee populations, as the Dutch government reports that over half of the country’s 360 bee species are at risk of extinction. This decline mirrors a broader global trend affecting these vital pollinators.
Stringer was informed by police that an accelerant was used to ignite the hives, which were situated on pallets in a wooded area of the park. Sadly, very few bees survived the blaze. Despite his despair and a seemingly low expectation of the perpetrator being caught, Stringer remains determined to rebuild his apiary, starting from scratch.
Another local beekeeper, Heleen Nieman, expressed her solidarity by offering to share one of her own bee colonies with Stringer, demonstrating the community’s support in the face of this tragedy.
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