The soil remains undisturbed, pesticides absent, the land left peaceful.
En un cementerio de Ithaca, Nueva York, una investigadora de Cornell descubrió sin buscarlo una de las mayores colonias de abejas terrestres jamás documentadas: 5,5 millones de individuos de la especie solitaria Andrena regularis conviviendo en apenas 1,5 acres de suelo sagrado. El hallazgo nos recuerda que la naturaleza encuentra refugio donde el ser humano se detiene, y que los espacios dedicados a la memoria de los muertos pueden ser, al mismo tiempo, cunas de vida invisible. Más allá del asombro numérico, la ciencia ve en este descubrimiento una advertencia y una oportunidad: proteger estos santuarios silenciosos es proteger los polinizadores que sostienen nuestra agricultura y nuestros ecosistemas.
- Una investigadora que caminaba al trabajo notó el aire cargado de abejas y desencadenó sin saberlo uno de los descubrimientos entomológicos más sorprendentes de los últimos años.
- Con 5,5 millones de abejas en 1,5 acres —más del triple de la población humana de Manhattan—, el hallazgo sacude la percepción de que las abejas solitarias son escasas o marginales.
- El 75 % de las especies de abejas son polinizadoras solitarias como esta, pero permanecen invisibles para la conservación pública, que sigue centrada casi exclusivamente en las abejas melíferas.
- Los cementerios, con su suelo sin pesticidas y escasamente perturbado, emergen como refugios de biodiversidad inesperados, capaces de albergar ecosistemas completos con depredadores, parásitos y decenas de especies.
- Científicos de todo el mundo han lanzado una iniciativa de ciencia ciudadana para identificar y proteger poblaciones similares antes de que desaparezcan sin haber sido nunca registradas.
En la primavera de 2022, Rachel Fordyce caminaba hacia el laboratorio de entomología de Cornell cuando el aire del cementerio East Lawn, en Ithaca, Nueva York, le pareció inusualmente denso de abejas. Recogió algunos ejemplares para mostrárselos a su supervisor, Bryan Danforth. Lo que comenzó como una identificación rutinaria se convirtió en un descubrimiento extraordinario: el cementerio albergaba una de las mayores poblaciones de abejas terrestres jamás documentadas.
Las abejas resultaron ser Andrena regularis, una especie solitaria que anida bajo tierra y poliniza cultivos esenciales como la manzana. En apenas 1,5 acres de suelo, los investigadores estimaron una población de aproximadamente 5,5 millones de individuos —más del triple de la población humana de Manhattan—. Steve Hoge, estudiante de grado que lideró el estudio, señaló que, aunque probablemente existan otras grandes agregaciones en el mundo, esta figura entre las más grandes formalmente registradas.
El hallazgo tiene un peso que va más allá de los números. Cerca del 75 % de las especies de abejas son polinizadoras solitarias como A. regularis, pero la conservación pública apenas las contempla. Los registros históricos muestran que esta especie habita East Lawn desde al menos principios del siglo XX. El superintendente del cementerio, Keven Morse, lleva 46 años observando ciervos, zorros y coyotes en los terrenos —y miles de abejas— sin haber sido picado jamás. El suelo sin pesticidas y escasamente removido convierte estos espacios en refugios ideales para los insectos que anidan en la tierra.
Para estimar la población, el equipo utilizó trampas de emergencia —pequeñas tiendas de malla que canalizan los insectos hacia frascos de vidrio— y capturó 3.251 individuos de 16 especies entre marzo y mayo de 2023. El análisis reveló también la presencia de abejas cuco del género Nomada, que parasitan los nidos de A. regularis, añadiendo una capa más de complejidad ecológica a este ecosistema subterráneo.
A raíz del descubrimiento, los investigadores han puesto en marcha una iniciativa global de ciencia ciudadana para localizar y proteger poblaciones similares. El mensaje es claro: los cementerios merecen ser reconocidos como refugios de biodiversidad, y preservarlos significa preservar los polinizadores que sostienen tanto la agricultura como las comunidades de plantas silvestres.
Rachel Fordyce was walking to work at Cornell University's entomology lab in the spring of 2022 when she noticed something unusual in East Lawn Cemetery, a burial ground in Ithaca, New York. The air seemed thick with bees. She collected a few specimens to show her supervisor, Bryan Danforth, expecting a quick identification. What followed was an unexpected discovery: the cemetery was home to one of the largest documented populations of ground-nesting bees ever recorded.
The bees were Andrena regularis, a solitary species that nests underground and plays a vital role in pollinating crops. Across just 1.5 acres of the cemetery, researchers estimated approximately 5.5 million of them lived in the soil. To put that in perspective, the number exceeds Manhattan's entire human population by more than three times and is equivalent to more than 200 honeybee colonies. Steve Hoge, an undergraduate student in Danforth's lab who led the research, noted that while other large bee aggregations likely exist worldwide, this ranks among the largest populations ever formally documented.
The finding carries weight beyond the sheer numbers. Most people associate bee conservation with honeybees, but roughly 75 percent of bee species are solitary ground-nesters like A. regularis. These insects are crucial pollinators of valuable crops, including apples—one of New York's most iconic agricultural products. The discovery underscores how much we overlook these species and the habitats they depend on. Danforth emphasized that the research elevates the standing of solitary ground-nesting bees, demonstrating both their abundance and the urgent need to preserve the places where they breed.
Historical records show that A. regularis has inhabited East Lawn Cemetery since at least the early 1900s. The cemetery itself was established in 1878. Over his 46 years managing the grounds, superintendent Keven Morse has observed deer, geese, hawks, foxes, and coyotes moving through the property. He has also watched countless bees—and, he noted with some satisfaction, never been stung. Cemeteries, it turns out, function as unexpected sanctuaries for wildlife. The soil remains largely undisturbed, pesticides are absent, and the land is left relatively peaceful—ideal conditions for ground-nesting insects and the plants and animals that depend on them.
To arrive at their population estimate, the research team deployed a novel monitoring method using emergence traps—small mesh tents covering less than a square meter, designed to funnel emerging insects into glass jars. Between late March and mid-May 2023, they placed ten traps across the cemetery and collected 3,251 insects representing 16 species of bees, beetles, and flies. A. regularis dominated the sample. By calculating the average density from their trap data and extrapolating across the cemetery's 6,000 square meters, the researchers estimated the total population at between 3 million and 8 million bees, with 5.5 million as their central estimate. The traps also revealed subtle biological patterns: males emerged first during warm April days, while females appeared several days later.
The study documented another layer of complexity in this underground ecosystem. Nomadic bees known as cuckoo bees—Nomada imbricata—parasitize the nests of A. regularis. These invaders wait for female A. regularis to prepare underground brood cells, then lay their own eggs inside, essentially hijacking the host's parental investment. This predator-prey dynamic is part of the intricate web of life that the cemetery supports.
The implications extend beyond Ithaca. Researchers have launched a global citizen science initiative aimed at locating and protecting similar nesting sites. The message is clear: cemeteries deserve recognition as biodiversity refuges. They are quiet places where the ground is rarely disturbed, where pesticides do not accumulate, and where millions of small creatures can thrive unseen. Preserving these spaces means preserving the pollinators that sustain agriculture and wild plant communities alike. The next step is finding out how many other hidden populations exist—and ensuring they survive.
Notable Quotes
I'm confident there are other large bee aggregations in the world we haven't identified yet, but in terms of what's been documented, this is one of the largest.— Steve Hoge, lead researcher
The research elevates the value of solitary ground-nesting bees, showing their abundance and the need to preserve nesting sites.— Bryan Danforth, Cornell supervisor
The Hearth Conversation Another angle on the story
How did a researcher simply walking to work stumble onto something this significant?
Fordyce noticed the bees were unusually abundant in one spot. Most people would have walked past. She had the curiosity to collect a few and ask her supervisor what they were. That simple act of attention opened the door.
Why does it matter that these are solitary bees and not honeybees?
Honeybees get all the attention because they produce honey and live in managed colonies. But three-quarters of bee species are solitary ground-nesters. They're equally important pollinators, and we know almost nothing about them. This discovery proves they can exist in staggering numbers if the habitat is right.
What makes a cemetery the perfect place for 5.5 million bees?
The soil is never plowed. Pesticides don't get sprayed. The land is left alone. For a ground-nesting bee, that's paradise. Most modern landscapes are hostile—lawns, parking lots, agriculture treated with chemicals. A cemetery is one of the few places that remains undisturbed.
How confident are the researchers in that 5.5 million figure?
They estimated a range of 3 to 8 million based on their trap data. The 5.5 million is their best estimate, but the point isn't the exact number. It's that the population is enormous and has been there for over a century, completely unknown.
What happens next? Does this change how we manage cemeteries?
That's the question now. Researchers launched a global citizen science program to find other sites like this. If we can identify where these populations exist, we can protect them. It means rethinking cemeteries not just as burial grounds but as critical wildlife habitat.
Are there parasitic bees living in the same cemetery?
Yes. Cuckoo bees wait for A. regularis females to prepare their underground nests, then lay eggs inside. The host bee ends up raising the cuckoo's offspring instead of its own. It's a whole ecosystem compressed into 1.5 acres.