In a quiet cemetery in Ithaca, New York, scientists have uncovered an astonishing secret: about 5.6 million ground-nesting bees are living beneath our feet. This remarkable find is one of the largest bee aggregations ever documented and has likely remained hidden for decades.
Researchers at Cornell University focused on a species called Andrena regularis, found in the East Lawn Cemetery since at least 1935. Their study, published in Apidologie, is the first to measure the population size here.
While many people picture bees buzzing around hives, about 70% of U.S. bee species actually live underground, often alone. This makes them easy to miss, even when their numbers are staggering.
In comparison, a recent discovery revealed a sprawling “megacity” of spiders in a cave on the Albania-Greece border, covering over 1,040 square feet and housing around 111,000 spiders. The bee aggregation in Ithaca, however, easily surpasses this by millions.
The research team spent about six weeks in spring 2023 collecting samples from the cemetery. They estimated that 5.56 million bees emerged from an area of roughly 6,500 square meters. Lead author Bryan Danforth was astonished by the results:
“I was completely floored when we did the calculations. I never imagined that it would be 5.56 million bees.”
For context, a typical honeybee colony has around 30,000 bees. This makes the underground population in Ithaca unusually dense.
While there have been studies of large bee groups elsewhere, Ithaca’s find is unprecedented. Previous records included around 1.6 million bees in Arizona and about 651,000 in another New York site. In Brazil, scientists found around 13,500 bees, but that’s far less than what Ithaca holds.
“I’m sure there are other large bee aggregations out there that we just haven’t identified, but in terms of the literature, this is one of the largest,” said Steve Hoge, a co-author of the study.
So, why does a cemetery make a perfect home for these bees? It turns out that the soil in such areas is often left undisturbed, with minimal construction or activity. This creates a safe space for pollinators to thrive.
As Danforth noted, cemeteries serve as “exceptionally important” habitats. They allow populations like Andrena regularis to grow steadily. These solitary bees, often overshadowed by hive-dwelling species, play a vital role in pollination.
“Solitary bees are totally underappreciated. They do so much and are kind of under the radar,” Danforth explained. “But they’re fascinating creatures.”
With bees facing significant threats from habitat loss and pesticides, such discoveries are crucial. As a result, preserving environments like cemeteries could be key to supporting bee diversity and health.
While most of us walk through parks and cemeteries without a second thought, appreciating the hidden life beneath the surface might change our perspective entirely.
