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Chestnut mining bee (Andrena rehni)
Rare Chestnut Bee Discovered at SUNY ESF Orchard
First Central New York sighting in over a century
SYRACUSE, N.Y. — Sept. 9, 2025 — A rare bee species native to New York state was discovered in Syracuse at a SUNY College of Environmental Science and Forestry (ESF) research station in July.
ESF pollinator ecologist Molly Jacobson collected two specimens of Andrena rehni, also known as the chestnut mining bee, from 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.
The bee, a solitary ground-nesting species, is a pollen specialist that relies exclusively on chestnut and chinquapin flowers. Its survival is closely tied to the presence of these trees, which were decimated by chestnut blight in the early 1900s. Andrena rehni was last recorded in southern New York in 1904, prompting the New York Natural Heritage Program to list the bee as ‘possibly extirpated’ in their 2022 Empire State Native Pollinator Survey assessment.
It was not until 2023 that the bee was rediscovered in New York by Jacobson, who located a population at Lasdon Park & Arboretum in Westchester County. The identification was confirmed by ESF alumnus Sam Droege of the United States Geological Survey (USGS) Native Bee Inventory & Monitoring Lab. That finding was published in Northeastern Naturalist with co-author Hannah Pilkey, production manager for ESF’s chestnut research team and ESF alumna.
This new find in Syracuse, however, represents the first time the bee has ever been found north of the Hudson Valley within New York.
“This is a significant record,” said Jacobson. “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.”
The research site in Syracuse includes a variety of chestnut trees—from wild American and chinquapin to hybrids and Chinese varieties—offering researchers a unique opportunity to study the bee’s preferences and behavior.
“We still know very little about the ecology and biology of this bee,” Jacobson said. “No nests have ever been found, and future research could focus on whether it will use non-native chestnut species.”
Said Dr. Andrew Newhouse, director of ESF’s American chestnut restoration project, “The rediscovery of this bee in our orchard illustrates another beneficial impact restoring this iconic tree to the northeastern landscape can have on the environment.”
Andrena rehni is one of many animal species that depend on American chestnuts for survival. Its rediscovery underscores the importance of ESF’s work to restore this keystone tree.
“The discovery of the Chestnut bee showcases the importance of the work that ESF is doing to restore this keystone tree species to the landscape,” said ESF President Joanie Mahoney. “Congratulation to the ESF Chestnut team on the success of its groundbreaking research.”
About SUNY ESF
The SUNY College of Environmental Science and Forestry (ESF) is dedicated to the study of the environment, developing renewable technologies, and building a sustainable and resilient future through design, policy, and management of the environment and natural resources. Members of the College community share a passion for protecting the health of the planet and a deep commitment to the rigorous application of science to improve the way humans interact with the world. The College offers academic programs ranging from the associate of applied science to the Doctor of Philosophy. ESF students live, study and do research on the main campus in Syracuse, N.Y., and on 25,000 acres of field stations in a variety of ecosystems across the state.