Massive Underground Bee Colony Discovered Beneath East Lawn Cemetery in Ithaca, New York

In the spring of 2022, Cornell University laboratory technician Rachel Fordyce noticed an unusually high density of insects while walking through East Lawn Cemetery, Ithaca, New York. After collecting specimens and consulting entomologist Bryan Danforth, the insects were identified as the solitary mining bee Andrena regularis. A study published in *Apidologie* (April 2023) reports that the colony occupies roughly 1.25–1.5 acres and contains an estimated 5.5 million individuals, making it one of the world’s largest documented underground bee aggregations.

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East Lawn Cemetery was established in 1878. Historical records indicate that *A. regularis* has been present at the site since at least the early 1900s. The cemetery’s undisturbed sandy soils, absence of pesticides, and minimal land-use change create conditions favorable for ground-nesting solitary bees, which are otherwise vulnerable to agricultural intensification.

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• Rachel Fordyce – laboratory technician, Cornell Entomology Department

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• Bryan Danforth – professor of entomology, Cornell University College of Agriculture and Life Sciences

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• Steve Hoge – lead author of the study

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• Keven Morse – superintendent of East Lawn Cemetery (nonprofit)

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• Cornell University – research sponsor

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• East Lawn Cemetery – habitat provider

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Between 30 March and 16 May 2023, the team deployed 10 emergence traps (each covering < 1 m²) across the cemetery. The traps captured 3,251 insects representing 16 species of bees, beetles, and flies, with *A. regularis* overwhelmingly dominant. Density calculations from trap catches yielded a population range of 3–8 million, with an average of 5.5 million—equivalent to more than 200 domestic honey-bee hives. Males emerged a few days before females, a strategy that maximizes mating opportunities; females then excavate nests, provision cells with pollen and nectar, and overwinter as adults underground.

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The colony’s activity aligns with the early-spring flowering of apple orchards at Cornell, underscoring its role as a pollinator of a key regional crop. Solitary ground-nesting bees comprise roughly 75 % of wild bee diversity, yet they receive limited conservation attention. The discovery illustrates how historic urban cemeteries can serve as critical refuges for pollinators and other wildlife.

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Researchers stress the need to protect such nesting sites. Danforth highlighted the “value of solitary ground-nesting bees” and warned that “if we don’t preserve nest sites… we could lose in an instant 5.5 million bees.” Hoge noted that “this is one of the largest” aggregations recorded in scientific literature. Morse observed frequent bee activity and expressed concern about mowing in heavily populated sections. In response, the study’s authors launched a global citizen-science initiative inviting the public to report underground bee aggregations to prevent accidental habitat loss from construction or road work.

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The cemetery’s occupied area is reported as 1.25 acres (Wired) and 1.5 acres (Good News Network). Both sources agree on the population estimate range (3–8 million) and on the methodological approach, but no documented opposition or detailed threat assessment beyond potential development is provided.

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• “These are all over the cemetery,” — Rachel Fordyce, Cornell laboratory technician

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• “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, lead author

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• “You capture a whole community of animals coming out of the ground with this approach,” — Bryan Danforth, professor of entomology, Cornell University

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• “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

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• “There’s probably three or four sections where they really migrate heavy, there’s a lot of them.” — Keven Morse, superintendent, East Lawn Cemetery

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The citizen-science platform will map additional underground bee colonies, aiming to inform land-use planning and protect vital pollinator habitats before further fragmentation occurs.

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