Nomada marshamella
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| Nomada marshamella | |
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Scientific classification  | |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Arthropoda |
| Class: | Insecta |
| Order: | Hymenoptera |
| Family: | Apidae |
| Genus: | Nomada |
| Species: | N. marshamella |
| Binomial name | |
| Nomada marshamella (Kirby, 1802) | |
| Synonyms | |
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Nomada marshamella, Marsham's nomad bee, is a species of Palearctic cuckoo bee which appears to be a wasp mimic and which is cleptoparasite on the mining bees of the genus Andrena, especially A. scotica and A. trimmerana.
Nomada marshamella is a large (10-13mm)[1] black and yellow nomad bee with a rather wasp like shape.[2] It has well separated yellow spots on the second tergite with no reddish fringes on the tergites which are seen in similar species. The sternites are mostly black and yellow in colour with little or no red, the tegulae are orange. Male N. marshamella are difficult to identify when compared to N. fulvicornis but the yellow markings on the eye and tergite 1 are less extensive, there is some brown on the tegulae and it has longer antennae.[3] It has a black head which is marked with yellow in males, which are smaller than the females.[1]
Distribution
Habitat
Nomada marshamella is found in a wide variety of habitats, occurring both in coastal and inland areas, wherever its host mining bees can be found. Has been recorded with some regularity in suburban habitats such as gardens.[4]