description Nomada flava Overview
Nomada flava is a European species of cuckoo bee in the family Apidae, described by Georg Wolfgang Franz Panzer in 1798. Nomada females enter the nests of other solitary bees and lay an egg in a provisioned brood cell, so the developing larva uses resources collected by the host. N. flava has a yellow abdomen crossed by broad black bands, with red markings on parts of the body, and is associated mainly with mining bees of the genus Andrena.
help Nomada flava FAQ
What is Nomada flava?
Nomada flava is a European cuckoo bee in the family Apidae. Georg Wolfgang Franz Panzer described the species in 1798.
Why is Nomada flava called a cuckoo bee?
Female Nomada flava enter the nests of other solitary bees and lay an egg in a provisioned brood cell. The developing larva then uses food collected by the host bee instead of receiving pollen gathered by its own mother.
Does Nomada flava collect pollen for its young?
No, it is cleptoparasitic and relies on another solitary bee's nest provisions. Its reproductive strategy is closer to nest invasion than to the normal pollen-collecting behavior of solitary bees.
Who described Nomada flava?
Georg Wolfgang Franz Panzer described Nomada flava in 1798. The species belongs to Nomada, a well-known genus of cuckoo bees within the family Apidae.
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