Massive Ground-Nesting Bee Colony Discovered in Ithaca Cemetery

Cornell researchers find one of the largest known aggregations of solitary mining bees in the world.

Apr. 14, 2026 at 3:26am

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An abstract, geometric painting in muted earth tones depicting the complex underground network and nesting structures of a massive colony of ground-dwelling Andrena regularis bees, conveying the hidden ecological richness and importance of this vital pollinator habitat.An intricate, hidden world of solitary bees thrives beneath the peaceful grounds of Ithaca's historic East Lawn Cemetery.NYC Today

Researchers at Cornell University have discovered a massive colony of over 5.5 million ground-nesting Andrena regularis bees in Ithaca's East Lawn Cemetery. This is one of the largest recorded aggregations of solitary bees in the world, highlighting the importance of cemeteries as preserves of biodiversity and the need to protect critical bee habitats.

Why it matters

The discovery of this enormous bee colony underscores the vital role that solitary, ground-nesting bees play as agricultural pollinators, especially for high-value crops like apples. It also demonstrates the ecological value of urban green spaces like cemeteries, which can serve as refuges for rare and threatened species.

The details

The bee colony was first discovered by Cornell technician Rachel Fordyce, who brought a jar of the bees to her boss, entomology professor Bryan Danforth. Further research by undergraduate student Steve Hoge revealed that the 1.5-acre cemetery is home to an estimated 5.5 million individual Andrena regularis bees - more than three times the population of Manhattan. The researchers used novel emergence trap methods to study the bees' biology, including their sex ratios, emergence timing, and interactions with brood parasites.

  • The bees were first observed in the cemetery in the early 1900s.
  • The East Lawn Cemetery itself was founded in 1878.
  • The researchers set 10 emergence traps between March 30 and May 16, 2023 to study the bees.

The players

Rachel Fordyce

A technician in an entomology lab at Cornell University who first discovered the massive bee colony in the East Lawn Cemetery.

Bryan Danforth

A professor of entomology at Cornell University and the supervisor of the research project.

Steve Hoge

An undergraduate student at Cornell University who conducted the research as part of his work in Danforth's lab.

Keven Morse

The superintendent of East Lawn Cemetery, whose family has been involved with the cemetery for the last 46 years.

Andrena regularis

Also known as the "regular mining bee", this is the species of solitary, ground-nesting bee that was found in the massive colony in the East Lawn Cemetery.

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What they’re saying

“I'm sure there are other large bee aggregations that exist around the world that we just haven't identified, but in terms of what is in the literature, this is one of the largest.”

— Steve Hoge, First author of the study

“The research elevates the value of solitary ground-nesting bees and shows just how abundant these bees are, how important they are as crop pollinators, and that we need to be aware of these nest sites and preserve them.”

— Bryan Danforth, Professor of entomology

“I just felt bad having to mow in certain areas. There's probably three or four sections where they really migrate heavy, there's a lot of them.”

— Keven Morse, East Lawn Cemetery superintendent

What’s next

The researchers have created a global citizen science project for people to report on ground-nesting bee aggregations in their local areas, in order to better understand and protect these important pollinators.

The takeaway

This discovery highlights the critical role that urban green spaces like cemeteries can play in preserving biodiversity and supporting vital pollinator populations. It underscores the need to protect solitary, ground-nesting bees, which are vastly understudied but economically important for agriculture.