New York cemetery hides over 5 million burrowing bees: one of the world’s largest concentrations

Walking through a quiet Ithaca cemetery on her way to work, a Cornell entomology technician stopped in her tracks at the sight of bees carpeting the ground. That casual observation has since unveiled an extraordinary underground metropolis: a sprawling colony of solitary, ground-nesting bees that scientists now estimate numbers in the millions.

Researchers who followed up on the discovery say this pocket of life beneath East Lawn Cemetery could be one of the largest known concentrations of burrowing bees, and it highlights how overlooked urban green spaces can harbor vital pollinators.

From a commute to a scientific revelation: how the colony was found

In spring 2022, Rachel Fordyce — who frequently parked near East Hill Plaza and walked through East Lawn Cemetery to reach Cornell’s entomology lab — noticed an unusual abundance of bees while crossing a sandy patch. She collected specimens and brought them to her supervisor, Bryan Danforth, who recognized the insects as Andrena regularis, commonly called the regular mining bee.

That single sighting prompted a formal investigation. Teams returned the following year to document what turned out to be a dense aggregation of solitary bees nested beneath roughly 1.5 acres of undisturbed cemetery soil. The find is astonishing not only for its size but for its persistence: historical records indicate these bees have occupied the site for more than a century.

How scientists estimated millions of burrowing bees

To move beyond anecdote and produce reliable numbers, the research group employed a hands-on monitoring system that captures insects as they emerge from the ground. Their approach included:

• Placing small mesh emergence tents — each covering under one square meter — directly over suspected nesting patches.
• Funneling newly emerged insects into collection jars for identification and counting.
• Running the traps across the site during the peak emergence window from March 30 to May 16, 2023.

Across 10 traps set around the cemetery, the team collected 3,251 individuals representing 16 species of bees, beetles, and flies. Andrena regularis dominated the samples, enabling the scientists to extrapolate densities and estimate the total population across the cemetery’s suitable habitat.

Using trap counts and mapped suitable ground, the researchers arrived at a conservative estimate ranging from about 3 million to as many as 8 million bees, with a central figure near 5.5 million. For context, they note that number is comparable to over 200 honeybee hives and exceeds Manhattan’s human population by a wide margin.

What makes East Lawn a bee-friendly refuge

Several features appear to have supported this exceptional aggregation:

• Undisturbed soil: Cemeteries are seldom plowed or heavily altered, leaving extensive areas of intact ground ideal for nesting.
• Sandy substrate: Many solitary, ground-nesting bees prefer sandier soils that are easier to excavate and maintain dry nest chambers.
• Nearby floral resources: Cornell Orchards sits about a third of a mile away, supplying spring bloom that feeds emerging bees.
• Low pesticide exposure: Nonprofit cemetery management and limited landscaping can reduce chemical treatments that harm pollinators.

Keven Morse, who has overseen East Lawn Cemetery with his family for decades, has long noticed wildlife in the grounds — from deer and geese to raptors and foxes — and said he’s sometimes avoided mowing where bee activity is dense. That hands-off approach appears to have helped maintain an ideal nesting environment.

Ecological and agricultural importance of solitary mining bees

Unlike social honeybees, Andrena regularis and other solitary species nest individually in the ground but can still occur in very high densities. These bees are effective pollinators of native plants and crops alike. The study’s authors emphasize that such populations are valuable for local agriculture, including apple orchards — a notable crop in New York state.

Researchers argue that protecting nest sites is crucial: a single paving project or landscaping change could wipe out millions of bees almost overnight. The long-term presence of A. regularis at East Lawn — documented in records dating back to the early 1900s, while the cemetery itself was established in 1878 — underscores both the stability and vulnerability of these communities.

Methods, findings, and broader conservation implications

The published study, released April 13 in the journal Apidologie, frames the discovery as not only a record of local natural history but also a reminder that urban and suburban green spaces can harbor substantial insect biodiversity. Lead author Steve Hoge notes that though other large bee aggregations likely exist worldwide, few have been quantified in the scientific literature.

Key takeaways from the field work

• Emergence traps are an effective way to measure ground-nesting insect communities.
• High-density aggregates of solitary bees can match or exceed pollination capacity commonly attributed only to managed honeybee hives.
• Historical continuity of habitat use helps sustain large, stable populations over decades.

Scientists hope the research will prompt greater awareness of how cemeteries, parks, and other low-disturbance landscapes function as refuges for pollinators and other wildlife. They also underscore the need for policies and management practices that recognize and protect these hidden ecosystems.

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Michael Thompson

Michael Thompson is an experienced journalist covering U.S. and global news. With ten years on the front lines, he breaks down political and economic stories that matter. His precise writing and keen attention to detail help you grasp the real‑world impact of every event.