Small Nomad Bee - Nomada flavoguttata

    Alternative names
    Little Nomad Bee

    This is one of the smallest species of Nomada. A small reddish nomad usually with small yellow spots on the sides of tergite 2 and 3. Females have extensive red markings on the head (usually surrounding the eyes), and the sides of the thorax, plus a pair of large red scutellar spots and red longitudinal stripes above the wing bases and usually a pair down the middle of the scutum. The labrum is usually dark and the hind face of the propodeum has patches of silvery hairs on each side. Males resemble females but have a darker head and thorax and the antennal scape is usually entirely black.

    Identification difficulty

    Generally distributed, occurring wherever its several host species are present.

    When to see it

    Depending on the flight periods of its host species, it can be either univoltine or bivoltine. It can be found from the end of March.

    Life History

    The species is a cleptoparasite of certain Andrena species in the subgenus Micrandrena. Those recorded are Andrena alfkenella Perkins, Andrena falsifica Perkins, Andrena minutula (Kirby), Andrena semilaevis Pérez and Andrena subopaca Nylander.

    UK Status

    Fairly frequent and widely distributed throughout Britain.

    VC55 Status

    Thought to be fairly frequent in Leicestershire and Rutland.

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    Leicestershire & Rutland Map

    MAP KEY:

    Yellow squares = NBN records (all known data)

    UK Map