Nomada ferruginata

This Nomada bee has a red abdomen with yellow flashes at the sides. It has dull yellow legs with dark femora. It lacks stripes on the thorax and has a pair of bright yellow tubercles on the pronotum near to the wing bases.

Nomada ferruginata is similar to N. striata but it can be distinguished by the brighter yellow pronotal tubercles and lighter antennae. N. ferruginata also lacks the red marks on the mesonotum which are usually obvious on N. striata.

Low vegetation around dry soils where its host bee nests.

Mainly during March and April - to coincide with the breeding of its host bee Andrena praecox.

As with all Nomada bees, it is parasitic on solitary bees, usualy Andrena species. The host species of N. ferruginata is Andrena praecox. A.praecox is a rather uncommon mining bee and normally found in areas containing sufficient Willows as females are very dependent on Willow catkins for pollen in March and April.

Rare in England but may be increasing.

Rare in Leicestershire and Rutland.