Nomada erigeronis

Robertson, 1897

Nomada erigeronis is a of nomad bee (cuckoo bee) in the Apidae, first described by Robertson in 1897. Like other members of the Nomada, it is a kleptoparasite that lays its in the nests of other species, particularly mining bees in the genus Andrena. The species is found in North America and is one of many Nomada species that exploit the nesting efforts of bees rather than constructing their own nests or collecting pollen.

Nomada erigeronis, m, back, Talbot, Poplar Island, MD 2019-10-21-16.18.40 ZS PMax UDR (49508558086) by USGS Bee Inventory and Monitoring Lab from Beltsville, Maryland, USA. Used under a Public domain license.

Nomada erigeronis, m, left, Mercer Co., NJ, 2018-06-20 by United States Geological Survey. Used under a Public domain license.

Nomada erigeronis, m, back, Mercer Co., NJ, 2018-06-20 by United States Geological Survey. Used under a Public domain license.

Pronunciation

How to pronounce Nomada erigeronis: //nəʊˈmɑːdə ˌɛrɪdʒəˈroʊnɪs//

These audio files are automatically generated. While they are not always 100% accurate, they are a good starting point.

Images

Distribution

North America

Host Associations

Andrena - kleptoparasiteNomada are known to parasitize nests of Andrena mining bees; specific associations for N. erigeronis are not documented in available sources

Ecological Role

Kleptoparasite of ground-nesting bees. As a cuckoo bee, N. erigeronis does not collect pollen or construct nests, instead relying on bees to provision its offspring. This parasitic lifestyle reduces the reproductive success of host .

Similar Taxa

Other Nomada speciesMany Nomada are visually similar, with yellow and black or red and black coloration; precise identification often requires examination of morphological details such as facial markings, structure, and genitalia
Andrena host speciesFemale Nomada may be confused with their Andrena when entering nests; however, Nomada lack the scopal hairs for pollen collection present in female Andrena

More Details

Taxonomic status

The was described by Charles Robertson in 1897. GBIF records indicate 739 iNaturalist observations, suggesting it is not exceptionally rare, though detailed biological studies are lacking.