Wight Bumblees: Nomada goodeniana.

Wednesday 19 April 2017

Nomada goodeniana.

On a sunny patch of bare ground at the foot of a conifer in my local forest I found several nomad bees busily searching for solitary bee holes in which to lay their eggs.The nomad bee pictured below had just reappeared from under a pine cone where no doubt one such nest was located.This species of nomad bee is Nomada goodeniana seen mainly from April to June.It is a widespread cuckoo bee in the UK and preys on nests of the Andrena nigroaenea- group.It is one of the largest of our Nomada species.

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In the UK there are twenty four species of bumblebee but only eight are commonly found in most places.Bumblebees occupy a variety of habitats and most of us should be able to attract them to our gardens if we have the right kinds of flowering plants.

On the Isle of Wight eleven species have been recorded including the eight ommon ones which are Tree,Garden,Heath,Red-tailed,White-tailed,Common Carder,Early,and Buff-tailed.There are also records of three much less encountered species,the Field Cuckoo,the Vestal Cuckoo, and the Hill Cuckoo.

These latter three are parasitic bumblebees that lay their eggs in other species nests and then kill the resident queen.The occupants of the nest then rear the cuckoos' offspring unaware that it is not their own species.

There are over two hundred species of solitary bee in the UK and most can be very difficult to tell apart.

They are so named because they do not live in colonies, unlike bumblebees and honeybees.Their nests range from hollow plant stems to holes in cliffs,walls,and in the ground.

All solitary bees are first class pollinators and should be made welcome in our gardens.

Title Photo

Wednesday 19 April 2017

Nomada goodeniana.

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