• Family: Apidae
• Approximate # species in region: 57
• Common name: Nomad bees

Nomada are red, black, and yellow wasp-like bees, most of which are cleptoparasites of mining bees Andrena. As cleptoparasites, Nomada are tied to their hosts, and so most species occur in spring when Andrena diversity is at its peak. You are likely to encounter Nomada nectaring on flowers in your garden, hovering in warm, sunny spots in the forest, or walking over the ground in search of host nest entrances.

Nomada are angular, slender, and relatively wasp-like – females lack pollen-carrying hairs on their bodies, belying their parasitic lifestyle. Sphecodes are similarly waspy-looking bees, but unlike Nomada, they never have colorful markings on their head or thorax. Becoming familiar with common color patterns seen in Nomada helps greatly with recognizing them in the field and telling them apart from other cleptoparasitic bees and wasps. Most Nomada are currently difficult to identify to species in the field (and many are challenging even under the microscope!), but noting color patterns, phenology, and host associations can often help in narrowing down the possibilities.

Regional Species List: