Half a Million Honeybees Killed in Dutch Deliberate Blaze.

Destroyed beehives — A beekeeper's ten beehives were destroyed in a park in the Dutch city of Almere.

A Dutch beekeeper has voiced shock after his ten colonies were burned down in a public garden in the city of Almere, causing the death of an approximated half a million bees.

Harold Stringer stated that each hive contained a population of 40-60,000 bees, and the idea that anyone could kill them was horrific.

"It is deeply painful that my ten colonies have died," he told local broadcaster.

Law enforcement in Almere, located to the northeast of Amsterdam, have requested witnesses after the arson attack on Tuesday night in the city's scenic Beatrixpark. They posted images of the fire on online platforms.

The Dutch government says that more than half of the nation's 360 types of bee are at risk of dying out, as the population of bees declines globally.

The beekeeper said that authorities had told him an accelerant had been employed to ignite the hives, which were sitting on wooden platforms in a wooded part of the park.

Almost none of the bees survived and he said that he had little faith the arsonist would be apprehended.

Fellow beekeeper Heleen Nieman told national radio that she had three bee colonies and wanted to give him a colony.

For Mr Stringer, who looked after the colonies for about nine years, the incident means starting a new colony in the park from the beginning.

But he affirms he will continue his efforts.