Gooden's Nomad Bee - Nomada goodeniana


    Nomada goodeniana is a small species in the genus, and uses the nests of several large Andrena species. It has a bright yellow and black striped abdomen with no red patches. It has orange-red legs and antenna with darker femora. The thorax has two yellow bars behind the head. The second abdominal yellow band is unbroken.

    Similar Species

    It can be distinguished from other yellow/black Nomada species by the second abdominal yellow band being unbroken. In N. marshamella the second yellow band is divided by a narrow black mid-line and in N. rufipes the black is very broad such that the yellow is restricted to patches towards the sides of the abdomen.

    Identification difficulty

    Anywhere that the host Andrena nests are found.

    When to see it

    April to June.

    Life History

    The adults are free-living and feed on nectar; the larvae consume the pollen provision of the host bee (Andrena sp). Instead of digging its own underground nest site, the female Nomada goodeniana waits until an Andrena female has excavated a nest tunnel and has provisioned a nest cell with pollen for her larva. This will take many pollen gathering trips and the Nomada female will take advantage of the host's absence to visit the cell and lay her own egg in it.

    UK Status

    Fairly common with most records coming from southern Britain.

    VC55 Status

    Fairly common in Leicestershire and Rutland.

    Leicestershire & Rutland Map

    UK Map