Rare Bee Discovered For First Time Ever In Central New York

Rare bee discovered in Central New York. This marks only the second time in recorded history that this specific species has been confirmed in New York State.

This summer, the rare Chestnut Mining Bee was discovered at the SUNY College of Environmental Science and Forestry (ESF) orchard in Syracuse. The bees were found on native American chestnut trees, marking the first confirmed sighting of the species in Central New York and only the second known population in the state.

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ESF pollinator ecologist Molly Jacobson collected two specimens of Andrena rehni, also known as the chestnut mining bee back in July.

This is a significant record. It expands the known range of the bee in New York and shows promise for its persistence in managed orchards, even in urban settings like Syracuse. We still know very little about the ecology and biology of this bee. - Molly Jacobson

The Chestnut Mining Bee was last recorded in southern New York 1904. In 2022 experts listed the bee as possibly eliminated or extinct until 2023 came along. That is when the bee was rediscovered at Lasdon Park & Arboretum in Westchester County.

This new find in Syracuse, however, represents the first time the bee has ever been found north of the Hudson Valley within New York.

The Chestnut Mining Bee likes to live alone. Each female digs creates her own tunnel in the ground and leaves the nest to collect pollen from American chestnut and chinquapin flowers.