Millions of Bees Have Thrived Under a New York Cemetery for More Than a Century | WIREDSkip to main contentMenuSECURITYPOLITICSTHE BIG STORYBUSINESSSCIENCECULTUREREVIEWSMenuAccountAccountNewslettersSecurityPoliticsThe Big StoryBusinessScienceCultureReviewsChevronMoreExpandThe Big InterviewMagazineEventsWIRED InsiderWIRED ConsultingNewslettersPodcastsVideoLivestreamsMerchSearchSearchSimone ValesiniScienceMay 30, 2026 5:00 AMMillions of Bees Have Thrived Under a New York Cemetery for More Than a CenturyA walk in the cemetery led to Cornell researchers discovering an underground colony of bees with an estimated population of 5.5 million—one of the largest ever recorded.Photograph: Bryan Danforth/SpringerCommentLoaderSave StorySave this storyCommentLoaderSave StorySave this storyA morning walk through East Lawn Cemetery in Ithaca, New York, uncovered an immense colony of some 5.5 million subterranean bees. The discovery, which a Cornell University research team published in April in the journal Apidologie, documents one of the largest aggregations of these insects ever recorded. The population, belonging to the species Andrena regularis, occupies an area of about 1.25 acres and is crucial for pollination of the region's orchards, demonstrating that historic cemeteries can prove unsuspected refuges for urban biodiversity.The Genesis of the DiscoveryIn the spring of 2022, Rachel Fordyce, then a laboratory technician in Cornell University's entomology department, noticed an anomalous presence of insects during her usual walk to work. After collecting some specimens, she showed them to Bryan Danforth, an entomologist at the same university. Analysis revealed that they were Andrena regularis, commonly called the mining or miner bee. Unlike honey bees, this wild species has a solitary lifestyle and nests by digging tunnels in the ground. Historical records indicate that the insect has been present in the cemetery, established in 1878, since at least the early 1900s.The CensusTo calculate the size of the colony, scientists placed 10 traps in the cemetery between late March and mid-May 2023. These small net curtains cover less than one square meter of soil and channel insects coming out of the ground to a glass container. More than 3,000 insects belonging to 16 species were sampled, including bees, beetles, and flies, with an overwhelming prevalence of Andrena regularis. Extrapolating from the average density found in the traps, the researchers estimated a total population of 3 million to 8 million, with an average value of 5.5 million—the equivalent of more than 200 domestic bee hives.The research yielded previously unpublished data on the biology of this little-studied insect. The traps revealed that males emerge from the ground a few days earlier than females during the first warm days of April, a strategy that maximizes mating opportunities. Subsequently, females dig nests and lay eggs in cells filled with pollen and nectar. The species has the distinction of wintering at the adult stage underground, which allows it to become active very early in the spring, in perfect synchrony with the flowering of apple trees in the nearby Cornell University orchards. Monitoring also revealed the presence of complex ecological dynamics, such as parasitism by bees of the Nomada imbricata species, which lay their eggs in the nests of the host species at the expense of the original larvae.A Heritage to ConserveThe discovery highlights the need to protect the nesting sites of wild bees, 75 percent of which are solitary species living underground. Places such as old city cemeteries offer ideal conditions: sandy soils that are easy to dig, no pesticides, and an environment that is not subject to the profound alterations typical of intensive agriculture or housing development. To prevent populations of this magnitude from being accidentally destroyed by concrete pours or road work, the study's authors have launched a global citizen science initiative. The project invites citizens to report the presence of underground bee aggregations in order to survey and protect these vital pollinators before habitat fragmentation jeopardizes their survival.This story originally appeared on WIRED Italia and has been translated from Italian.CommentsBack to topTriangleYou Might Also LikeHow to find us: Add WIRED.com to your preferred sources in GoogleHow the Canvas hack threatened thousands of schoolsBig Story: I've covered robots for years—this one is eerily lifelikeOrbs, saucers, and flashes on the moon—here’s what’s in the UFO filesTake our survey: What does “home” mean to you?Simone Valesini writes in-depth articles on science and health. He contributes to WIRED as well as to various Italian publications, including Repubblica, Galileo, and Today.it. ... Read MoreContributorTopicsBiologyanimalsInsectsRead MoreHow Wet Weather in Argentina Helped Fuel the Cruise Ship Hantavirus OutbreakClimate change is helping create conditions that are driving the rodent boom—dubbed a ratada—in Argentina.María de los Ángeles OrfilaMexico City Is Sinking. A Powerful NASA Satellite Just Revealed How FastA new NASA map shows how the sinking of Mexico City is uneven, with areas registering up to 2 centimeters per month.Fernanda GonzálezWhy Garlic Repels Mosquitoes and Keeps Them From BreedingGarlic, as your grandmother may have told you, repels mosquitoes; it also completely blocks them from mating and laying eggs. Diallyl disulfide, it turns out, deserves the credit.Fernanda GonzálezA 'Golden Orb' on the Ocean Floor Came From a Mysterious AnimalA fascinating, unclassifiable orb found in the Gulf of Alaska is not an alien object, as some speculated, but the remains of a poorly documented animal.Jorge GarayThe First Atomic Bomb Test in 1945 Created an Entirely New MaterialThe discovery from the Trinity nuclear test site shows how extreme conditions can result in materials never before seen in nature or in the lab.Marta MussoVenom and Hot Peppers Offer a Key to Killing Resistant BacteriaResearchers have developed three new antibiotics from scorpion venom and habanero peppers to combat tuberculosis and other drug-resistant pathogens.Fernanda GonzálezThe Emptiest Places in the Universe Might Contain Its Best SecretsOnce dismissed as empty expanses between galaxies, cosmic voids are becoming one of the most promising tools for probing the universe’s biggest mysteries.Becky FerreiraThe Universe Is Full of ‘Impossible’ Black Holes. Scientists Now Know WhyThere are black holes that are too big to be born from the death of a star but aren’t quite supermassive either. There’s finally evidence for where those came from.Jorge GarayCalifornia’s Wildfire Season Is Already OveractiveMajor fires are threatening homes and ecologically sensitive areas following a hot, dry winter.Brian KahnMeet Rassvet, Russia’s Answer to StarlinkWith the launch of the first 16 satellites, Russia begins construction of a network for satellite internet that aims to cover the entire country by 2030. But getting there won’t be easy.Lucia BellinelloNASA’s Curiosity Rover Got Its Drill Stuck on a Rock. Here’s How They Freed ItThis is the first time NASA has encountered a situation like this, and it took nearly a week to resolve.Marta MussoThe Best Gifts for Bird LoversWhether they’re into feeders, field guides, or games, these tried-and-tested picks are sure to land perfectly.Kat MerckWIRED is obsessed with what comes next. Through rigorous investigations and game-changing reporting, we tell stories that don’t just reflect the moment—they help create it. When you look back in 10, 20, even 50 years, WIRED will be the publication that led the story of the present, mapped the people, products, and ideas defining it, and explained how those forces forged the future. WIRED: For Future Reference.More From WIREDSubscribeNewslettersLivestreamsTravelFAQWIRED StaffWIRED EducationEditorial StandardsArchiveRSSSite MapAccessibility HelpReviews and GuidesReviewsBuying GuidesStreaming GuidesWearablesCouponsGift GuidesAdvertiseContact UsManage AccountJobsPress CenterCondé Nast StoreUser AgreementPrivacy PolicyYour California Privacy Rights© 2026 Condé Nast. All rights reserved. WIRED may earn a portion of sales from products that are purchased through our site as part of our Affiliate Partnerships with retailers. The material on this site may not be reproduced, distributed, transmitted, cached or otherwise used, except with the prior written permission of Condé Nast. Ad ChoicesSelect international siteUnited StatesLargeChevronItaliaJapónCzech Republic & SlovakiaFacebookXPinterestYouTubeInstagramTiktok

A research team from Cornell University discovered an extensive underground colony of bees within East Lawn Cemetery in Ithaca, New York, documenting a population estimated to be 5.5 million, making it one of the largest aggregations ever recorded for the species Andrena regularis. This finding, published in the journal Apidologie, demonstrates that historic cemeteries can serve as unsuspected refuges for urban biodiversity and are environmentally valuable ecosystems. The discovery originated in the spring of 2022 when Rachel Fordyce, a laboratory technician in Cornell University's entomology department, observed anomalous insect presence during a walk. Subsequent analysis identified the insects as Andrena regularis, commonly known as the mining or miner bee, a species known for its solitary nature and habit of nesting by digging tunnels in the ground. Historical records suggest that this insect has inhabited the cemetery, which was established in 1878, since at least the early twentieth century.

To quantify the colony's size, researchers conducted sampling between late March and mid-May 2023, utilizing ten traps placed in the cemetery soil. These traps, covering less than one square meter each, effectively channeled insects emerging from the ground into collection containers. The sampling yielded more than 3,000 insects from sixteen different species, predominantly Andrena regularis. By extrapolating the density observed in the traps, the scientists estimated the total population to range between 3 million and 8 million, with an average estimate of 5.5 million, which equates to more than two hundred domestic bee hives. The study provided previously unpublished biological data regarding the life cycle of this species. Monitoring revealed that the male bees emerge from the ground several days earlier than the females during the initial warm days of April, a strategy designed to maximize mating opportunities. Females subsequently excavate nests to lay eggs in cells filled with pollen and nectar. Furthermore, the species is noted for overwintering in an adult stage underground, which enables them to become active very early in the spring, aligning perfectly with the flowering schedules of nearby apple trees in the Cornell University orchards. The collected data also illuminated complex ecological interactions, including parasitism, evidenced by bees of the Nomada imbricata species laying eggs within the host nests, thereby consuming the original larvae.

This research underscores the necessity of protecting the nesting sites of wild bees, particularly those that are solitary and live underground, as seventy-five percent of such species are subterranean. Places like old city cemeteries provide ideal environmental conditions for these insects, characterized by sandy soils that facilitate digging, a lack of pesticides, and an absence of the extensive alterations typical of intensive agriculture or housing development. To safeguard these large populations from threats posed by construction activities such as concrete pours or road work, the study's authors initiated a global citizen science effort. This initiative invites the public to report the presence of underground bee aggregations to survey and protect these vital pollinators before habitat fragmentation jeopardizes their survival.