"The researchers estimated that 5.56 million bees emerged in the spring of 2023 across an area of about 6,500 square meters, showcasing an extraordinary abundance of A. regularis."
"Bryan Danforth, an entomology professor at Cornell University, noted that while bees are often depicted as hive dwellers, the majority in the U.S. are ground-nesting species."
"Danforth expressed his astonishment, stating, 'I was completely floored when we did the calculations,' highlighting the unexpected scale of the bee population."
A study reveals that East Lawn Cemetery in Ithaca, N.Y., is home to approximately 5.6 million ground-nesting bees, primarily Andrena regularis. This colony is among the largest ever documented and likely one of the oldest, dating back to at least 1935. Researchers from Cornell University conducted a month-and-a-half study in 2023, estimating the bee population across 6,500 square meters. Ground-nesting bees, which make up about 70% of U.S. bee species, are often solitary and burrow in the ground.
Read at www.scientificamerican.com
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