Nomada fabriciana (Fabricus nomad bee)♀︎

Last update: 4 May 2022
garden
species


Common

LOCATION: Krimpen aan den IJssel, garden

OBSERVATION:
2016-VII-02


This small bee lay struggling in a layer of water that sood in a plant pot. Triggered by the red color of the abdomen I took it in for a photo shoot.

Looking at the photo’s I suspected a Bloodbee but using the key[2] didn’t give a convincing result. So back to the bee family key[1] and it turns out to be a Nomada bee. The striking antennae turn out to be part of the key to identifying this species[2]: a female Nomada sheppardana.

Update 04/v/2022

Visitor Tjomme Fernhout made me aware that this is a specimen Fabricus nomad bee (Nomada fabriciana), which turns out correct after going through the key [3].

Fabricus nomad bee ♀︎ (Nomada fabriciana), imago
Fabricus nomad bee ♀︎ (Nomada fabriciana), imago
Fabricus nomad bee ♀︎ (Nomada fabriciana), imago

The bee is very small, about 4-7 mm. In this picture it is sitting on the first segment of my vinger.

Fabricus nomad bee ♀︎ (Nomada fabriciana), imago
Fabricus nomad bee ♀︎ (Nomada fabriciana), imago
Fabricus nomad bee ♀︎ (Nomada fabriciana), imago
Fabricus nomad bee ♀︎ (Nomada fabriciana), imago
Fabricus nomad bee ♀︎ (Nomada fabriciana), imago
Fabricus nomad bee ♀︎ (Nomada fabriciana), imago

References

1 Peeters, T.M.J., H. Nieuwenhuijsen, J. Smit, F. van der Meer, I.P. Raemakers, W.R.B. Heitmans, C. van Achterberg, M. Kwak, A.J. Loonstra, J. de Rond, M. Roos & M. Reemer 2012. De Nederlands bijen (Hymennoptera: Apidae s.l.). - Natuur van Nederland 11, Naturalis Biodiversity Center & European Invertebrate Survey - Nederland, Leiden.

2 wildebijen.nl, "De Nederlandse bijen en hun relaties, overzicht van in Nederland en Vlaanderen voorkomende solitaire en sociale bijen (Apidea s.l.)"

3 Nieuwenhuijsen, Hans & Peeters, Theo. (2016). Nederlandse bijen op naam brengen. Deel 1.

2 thoughts on “Fabricus nomad bee

  1. Hi! Nice website but this is Nomada fabriciana and not sheppardana.

    Best wishes
    Tjomme Fernhout

    • Thank you Tjomme for pointing this out, that is indeed the correct species. I’ve changed it accordingly.

      Kind regards,
      Olger

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *