Over 5 Million Bees Were Discovered Under a New York Cemetery. Scientists Think It’s One of the Largest Populations Ever

**Record Bee Population Discovered Beneath Cemetery in Ithaca, New York**

Researchers from Cornell University have made an astonishing discovery: approximately 5.56 million bees have been identified living beneath the East Lawn Cemetery in Ithaca, New York. This remarkable finding positions the cemetery as home to one of the largest bee populations ever documented.

The study, which has generated significant attention, highlights a little-known aspect of bee behaviour. While many people typically associate bees with hives, a significant majority of species in the United States actually nest in the ground. The East Lawn Cemetery has served as a habitat for one such species, the Andrena regularis, for over nine decades, though the scale of the population was previously underestimated.

The researchers employed small emergence traps over several weeks during spring 2023 to gather data on the bee population residing underground. Their findings, detailed in a paper published in the journal *Apidologie*, revealed an “extraordinary abundance” of bees in the area. This discovery indicates that these creatures emerged from their nests in spring to mate and forage over approximately 6,500 square metres.

Entomology professor Bryan Danforth, who is the senior author of the study, expressed his astonishment at the numbers. “I was completely floored when we did the calculations,” he stated. Danforth commented on the previously published estimates of bee populations, which had only counted in the hundreds of thousands. “But I never really imagined that it would be 5.56 million bees,” he added.

In stark contrast to a typical honey bee colony, which may consist of 20,000 to 40,000 worker bees in less than one hectare, the cemetery’s bee population highlights a staggering concentration of solitary bees. According to Danforth, this significant figure underscores the critical role of cemeteries for ground-nesting bees, which he calls “exceptionally important” for pollination.

Danforth further advocated for a greater appreciation of solitary bees, pointing out that these creatures play a vital yet often overlooked role in the ecosystem. “The solitary bees are totally underappreciated,” he remarked. Although the presence of such a large number of bees in a single location is impressive, similar occurrences have been documented in the past.

The paper referenced previous studies which reported the emergence of over 1.5 million Centris caesalpiniae bees from a smaller site more than 30 years ago. Additionally, another research effort counted 651,400 Melissodes bimaculatus bees in upstate New York, while a separate study found around 13,500 Epicharis picta bees across a 160-square-metre area in Brazil.

The revelation of these substantial bee populations comes at a critical time for efforts aimed at conserving bee species, which contribute significantly to biodiversity, environmental stability, and food security. The UN Environment Programme has highlighted the importance of protecting these insects, particularly as their populations face various threats.

Last year saw public awareness increase regarding bee conservation, notably with the viral story of an English Springer Spaniel named Maple, who was trained by researchers at Michigan State University to detect harmful bacteria affecting honey bee larvae. This innovative approach enhances the speed at which beekeepers can inspect colonies, ultimately aiding the prevention of local bee population declines.

Further compounding concerns within the bee community, a survey revealed that commercial beekeepers in the U.S. reported an alarming average loss of 62% of their colonies. The pressing need for understanding bee conservation has never been more critical, as these pollinators not only support essential biodiversity, but also play an integral role in agriculture.

The findings from Cornell University’s entomology research provide a compelling argument for the protection of habitats like cemeteries, which play a critical role in sustaining bee populations. As the scientific community continues to uncover the complexities of bee life, it becomes increasingly clear that these small creatures hold significant power in maintaining the balance of our ecosystems.