Marsham's Nomad Bee - Nomada marshamella

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    Description

    Length 9 mm a small cuckoo bee and another wasp mimic with just yellow and black stripes and no red markings. The female has two yellow tubercles on the thorax.

    Similar Species

    Similar to N. goodeniana and N. rufipes. Distinguished by the second yellow band on the thorax being broken by a thin black band.

    Identification difficulty
    Habitat

    Anywhere around the areas where its host Andrena species are nesting.

    When to see it

    March through to September.

    Life History

    Nomada marshamella has two broods and preys on quite a wide variety of Andrena bees including Andrena scotica.

    UK Status

    Fairly common and widespread in Britain.

    VC55 Status

    Fairly common in Leicestershire and Rutland.

    • David Nicholls
      Rutland Water
      27 May 2011
    • David Nicholls
      Rutland Water
      27 May 2011
    • Graham Calow
      Sapcote
      24 April 2009
    • Steve Mathers
      Grantham Canal (Harby to Stathern Bridge)
      18 April 2017

    Leicestershire & Rutland Map

    MAP KEY:

    Yellow squares = NBN records (all known data)
    Coloured circles = NatureSpot records: 2020+ | 2015-2019 | pre-2015

    UK Map

    • Kate Nightingale
      Cropston garden
      20 April 2016