Ithaca Cemetery Hides One of the World’s Largest Bee Colonies
Cornell researchers estimate a 5.5 million-strong colony of solitary mining bees (Andrena regularis) beneath East Lawn Cemetery near Ithaca, spanning about 1.5 acres. Using emergence traps in spring 2023, they documented one of the largest bee aggregations on record, aided by undisturbed soil and nearby floral resources.