Rachel Fordyce, a research technician at Cornell University’s entomology lab, found her daily commute transformed into a remarkable ecological discovery. Her routine of saving money by parking at Ithaca’s East Hill Plaza and walking through East Lawn Cemetery on her way to work at a Cornell University entomology lab led her to an astonishing realization in the spring of 2022. Bees, in numbers she had never witnessed before, were ubiquitous.
This initial observation, made during one of her walks through the serene grounds of the cemetery, sparked a scientific investigation that would unveil one of the largest and oldest known aggregations of ground-nesting bees ever documented. Fordyce, intrigued by the sheer volume of the insects, collected a sample in a jar and presented them to her supervisor, Bryan Danforth, a professor of entomology in Cornell’s College of Agriculture and Life Sciences. "These are all over the cemetery," she reported, her voice likely tinged with a mixture of curiosity and awe.
The collected specimens were identified as Andrena regularis, commonly known as the "regular mining bee." This species is a solitary wild bee, characterized by its habit of nesting underground and its crucial role as a pollinator for a wide array of crops and wild flora. What began as a simple act of noticing the unusual on a familiar path would soon blossom into a significant scientific revelation, detailing the existence of a vibrant, thriving bee metropolis hidden beneath the surface of a seemingly ordinary cemetery.
The Unveiling of a Bee Metropolis
The subsequent research, spearheaded by undergraduate student Steve Hoge ’24 under the guidance of Professor Danforth, revealed the extraordinary nature of East Lawn Cemetery’s bee population. Scientists estimate that this relatively small, 1.5-acre area is home to an astounding population of approximately 5.5 million individual Andrena regularis bees. To contextualize this figure, researchers note that this density is comparable to more than 200 honeybee hives and surpasses Manhattan’s human population by more than threefold.
"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," stated Hoge, the lead author of the study published on April 13 in the esteemed journal Apidologie. His work on this project, conducted as an undergraduate researcher, underscores the potential for groundbreaking discoveries to emerge from dedicated student involvement in academic research.
The study delved into the biology of these often-overlooked wild bees, emphasizing their vital importance as pollinators for economically significant agricultural crops. New York, a state with a robust agricultural sector, relies heavily on pollinators for crops like apples, a signature commodity of the region. Danforth highlighted the broader implications of their findings: "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."
A Historical Haven for Biodiversity
Further investigation into historical records revealed that A. regularis has maintained a presence at East Lawn Cemetery since at least the early 1900s. The cemetery itself, established in 1878, boasts a long history, suggesting a deep-rooted ecological relationship between the land and its insect inhabitants. This longevity is a key factor in the cemetery’s ability to support such a substantial bee population.
The discovery at East Lawn Cemetery reinforces the growing understanding that cemeteries can serve as critical refuges for biodiversity, particularly in urban and suburban environments. These often peaceful and undisturbed landscapes provide essential habitats for a variety of plant and animal life that may struggle to thrive in more developed areas. Older cemeteries, in particular, are known to shelter uncommon species of plants, insects, birds, and mammals, acting as vital green spaces in otherwise fragmented ecosystems.
Keven Morse, the superintendent of East Lawn Cemetery, has witnessed this rich biodiversity firsthand over his family’s 46 years of managing the nonprofit cemetery. He has observed a remarkable array of wildlife, including deer, geese, hawks, foxes, and coyotes. He also acknowledged the pervasive presence of bees, noting with a touch of humor that they have "never stung him." Morse also shared his long-standing awareness of the bee populations, admitting, "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." His observations align with the researchers’ findings, indicating a sustained and significant bee presence.
The Ideal Conditions for a Thriving Bee Colony
Researchers attribute the cemetery’s suitability as a bee haven to several key factors. Cemeteries, by their nature, are generally peaceful environments with minimal human disturbance. This tranquility is crucial for solitary bees, which require stable conditions for nesting and foraging. Furthermore, the upkeep of cemetery grounds often involves limited use of pesticides, a stark contrast to many agricultural lands where pesticide application can decimate pollinator populations. This lack of chemical interference creates a relatively safe haven for these sensitive insects.
The preference of Andrena regularis for sandy soil, which is abundant in East Lawn Cemetery, also contributes to its success as a nesting site. The specific soil composition allows for the creation of stable underground burrows, essential for the bees’ life cycle. The proximity of Cornell Orchards, located approximately one-third of a mile away, also likely plays a role by providing a rich source of nectar and pollen from blooming fruit trees in the spring, supporting the massive bee population.
Understanding the Solitary Ground-Nester
While honeybees often capture public attention, the reality is that a significant majority of bee species, approximately 75%, are solitary ground-nesters, much like the Andrena regularis. "It’s the most common lifestyle for bees," Professor Danforth emphasized, highlighting the underappreciated diversity within the bee kingdom.
When Steve Hoge began his research into A. regularis, he was surprised by the scarcity of detailed scientific information. The most comprehensive references available dated back to 1978, presenting a clear opportunity for his team to contribute significantly to the documentation of this species’ biology.
The life cycle of the A. regularis is intricate and synchronized with the seasons. Female bees meticulously excavate underground nests, creating individual brood chambers. Within each chamber, they deposit a mixture of pollen and nectar, serving as sustenance for the developing larva. After laying an egg, the female seals the chamber, and the larva develops beneath the surface, eventually pupating and emerging as an adult.
A notable characteristic of this species is its overwintering as adults, a relatively uncommon trait among bees. This allows them to emerge from their underground nests exceptionally early in the spring, precisely timed to coincide with the blooming of early-season plants, particularly apple blossoms. "This species overwinters as adults, which is relatively rare, and that’s part of the reason why they come up out of the ground so early in the spring, timed to the apple bloom," Hoge explained. This early emergence makes them invaluable pollinators for crops that rely on early-season fertilization.
Innovative Methods for Counting Millions
Quantifying the sheer scale of the A. regularis population at East Lawn Cemetery required innovative methodological approaches. The research team employed a novel monitoring technique utilizing emergence traps. These devices, small mesh tents covering less than a square meter of ground, are designed to capture insects as they emerge from their subterranean nests. The emerging insects are funneled into glass jars, allowing for their collection and study. "You capture a whole community of animals coming out of the ground with this approach," Danforth remarked, underscoring the effectiveness of the technique in comprehensively sampling the emerging insect fauna.
Between March 30 and May 16 of 2023, the research team strategically placed 10 such traps throughout the cemetery. These traps yielded an impressive collection of 3,251 insects, representing 16 different species of bees, beetles, and flies. The overwhelming majority of these captured insects were Andrena regularis, confirming their dominant presence.
By extrapolating the number of bees captured in each trap to the estimated total area of the cemetery—approximately 6,000 square meters—researchers calculated an average bee density. This calculation led to an estimated total population ranging from a conservative 3 million to an expansive 8 million bees, with a central estimate of 5.5 million individuals.
The emergence traps also provided valuable insights into the timing of male and female bee emergence. Male bees, eager to find mates, were observed to appear first during warmer periods in April. Females emerged several days later, after the males had established a presence. "The males come out first and wait for the females, so that they have the best opportunities to mate and pass on their genes," Hoge elucidated, explaining the evolutionary advantage of this synchronized emergence pattern.
Parasitism and the Imperative of Conservation
The study also documented a natural ecological interaction within the bee community: brood parasitism by nomad bees, specifically Nomada imbricata. These "cuckoo" bees employ a deceptive strategy, waiting until a female A. regularis has meticulously prepared a brood cell underground before stealthily laying her own egg within it. Upon hatching, the nomad larvae are programmed to kill the host bee larvae and consume the vital stores of pollen and nectar that were intended for the mining bee offspring. This parasitic relationship highlights the complex dynamics of the ecosystem and the inherent vulnerabilities faced by the A. regularis population.
Recognizing the critical importance of these nesting sites and the potential threats they face, Danforth and his colleagues have initiated a global citizen science initiative. This project aims to engage the public in reporting any ground-nesting bee aggregations they encounter, thereby expanding the data collection efforts and identifying potential new conservation sites. "These populations are huge, and they need protection," Danforth urged. "If we don’t preserve nest sites, and someone paves over them, we could lose in an instant 5.5 million bees that are important pollinators."
The collaborative nature of this research is evident in the co-authorship of the study, which included postdoctoral researchers Jordan Kueneman and Katherine Odanaka, undergraduate students Steve Hoge ’24 and Cassidy Dobler ’26, and lab technician Rachel Fordyce, whose initial observation served as the crucial catalyst. Funding for this significant research was generously provided by the Cornell Atkinson Center for Sustainability, the National Science Foundation, and the Federal Capacity Funds program, underscoring the broad institutional support for this vital ecological investigation. The findings from East Lawn Cemetery not only shed light on a remarkable natural phenomenon but also serve as a potent reminder of the need for conservation efforts to protect essential pollinator populations in an increasingly developed world.
