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A Dutch beekeeper has expressed dismay after his ten colonies were set ablaze in a park in the central city of Almere, causing the loss of an approximated 500,000 bees.

The beekeeper stated that every colony contained a colony of 40-60,000 bees, and the thought that someone could destroy them was devastating.

"It is deeply painful that my 10 hives have died," he told local broadcaster.

Law enforcement in Almere, which sits to the northeast of Amsterdam, have appealed for observers after the deliberate fire on Tuesday night in the city's picturesque Beatrixpark. They posted pictures 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 extinction, as the number of bees decreases around the world.

Mr Stringer explained that authorities had informed him an flammable substance had been employed to ignite the hives, which were placed on pallets in a wooded part of the park.

Almost none of the bees made it through and he said that he had little faith the perpetrator would be apprehended.

Fellow beekeeper Heleen Nieman stated on national radio that she had three hives and wanted to donate one of them.

For the beekeeper, who cared for the colonies for about nine years, the fire means starting a new colony in the park from scratch.

But he insists he will not give up.

Related Incidents

• 'One Million Bees' Lost in Hives Arson Attack.