Scientists at Cornell University have uncovered a massive population of ground-nesting miner bees at East Lawn Cemetery in Ithaca, New York, one of the largest known communities worldwide. The site supports between 3 million and 8 million bees, highlighting cemeteries as vital habitats for pollinators amid urban pressures. Researchers emphasize the role of these solitary bees in pollinating local crops like apple trees.
At East Lawn Cemetery in Ithaca, New York, swarms of Andrena regularis, known as regular miner bees, are emerging from underground nests. These solitary, fuzzy black-and-tan insects dig tunnels into the ground to lay eggs, which hatch into larvae and adults the following spring. Cornell University scientists, including community ecologist Jordan Kueneman, identified the site as hosting one of the biggest and oldest such bee communities globally, as detailed in a new research paper co-authored by Kueneman. The cemetery's cropped lawns and stable soil mimic ideal nesting conditions: non-flooding areas easy to dig that do not collapse, Kueneman explained. Mowing exposes the ground, warming it faster and aiding bee activity, though crews could mow earlier to minimize disturbance. Researchers estimate 3 million to 8 million bees across the grounds, including other species, with densities reaching thousands per square meter. A healthy female-to-male ratio signals a thriving population. The presence of parasitic cuckoo bees, Nomada imbricata, which invade nests and whose larvae devour hosts, further confirms the site's ecological richness. Beyond bees, cemeteries shelter bats, birds, coyotes, and rare plants, lacking urban threats like crowds, dogs, and cars, according to Seth Magle of the Lincoln Park Zoo's Urban Wildlife Institute. Christopher Grinter of the California Academy of Sciences called it an 'aha' moment for fostering biodiversity in unexpected places. Groundskeepers can enhance habitats by reducing rodenticides and planting natives, supporting pollinators essential for crops and urban cooling.