Catsear Nomad Bee
Nomada integra
Photo: iNaturalist: (c) Guilherme Ramos, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC), uploaded by Guilherme Ramos
Overview
The Catsear Nomad Bee (Nomada integra) is a small cuckoo bee species with distinctive yellow and black markings that parasitizes the nests of mining bees. This wasp-like bee lacks pollen-collecting structures and instead relies on laying its eggs in host bee nests where its larvae consume the host's provisions. As a specialized parasitoid, it plays a unique role in regulating populations of its solitary bee hosts.
The Catsear Nomad Bee faces severe population declines primarily due to habitat loss from agricultural intensification and urban development, which has eliminated much of its specialized host plant communities. As a cleptoparasitic species that depends on specific host bee species, it is particularly vulnerable to disruptions in the broader pollinator community and changes in floral resource availability.
Habitat
Nomada integra inhabits flower-rich grasslands, chalk downs, and coastal dunes where catsear and other composite flowers bloom alongside suitable nesting areas for its mining bee hosts. The species requires close proximity between nectar sources and bare or sparsely vegetated ground where host bees excavate their underground nests.
Other threatened species in Apidae
Threatened in Austria
Frequently asked questions
Why is Catsear Nomad Bee classified as Critically Endangered?
Where does Catsear Nomad Bee live?
What are the main threats to Catsear Nomad Bee?
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