American biologists made an unusual discovery at an old cemetery in New York State, uncovering a massive underground bee settlement. This was reported by the publication Naked Science, citing a study published in the journal Apidologie. This necropolis is home to about five million subterranean bees, which actively participate in the pollination of nearby apple orchards. The cemetery has served as a refuge for these insects for 90 years. Scientists conducted an analysis of the cemetery population: for 48 days, they collected and counted insects emerging from under the ground under domes, and superimposed the obtained data on the entire nesting area of these bees. Calculations showed that the total number of host bees (Andrena regularis) is approximately 5.56 million individuals. In terms of pollination efficiency, the underground swarm is equivalent to 140–270 large commercial hives, and the entire colony occupies an area of less than one hectare. Researchers emphasize that urban ...