Hawk's-beard Nomad Bee
Nomada facilis
The Hawk's-beard Nomad Bee (Nomada facilis) is a small cuckoo bee species with distinctive yellow and black markings that parasitizes the nests of mining bees in the genus Andrena. This wasp-like bee lacks pollen-collecting structures as females lay their eggs in host nests where larvae consume the host's pollen provisions.
14
Countries
Taxonomy & Classification
Kingdom
Animalia
Phylum
Arthropoda
Class
Insecta
Order
Hymenoptera
Family
Apidae
Genus
Nomada
Hawk's-beard Nomad Bee belongs to the family Apidae, order Hymenoptera, within the Insecta class.
Species Profile
The Hawk's-beard Nomad Bee (Nomada facilis) is a small cuckoo bee species with distinctive yellow and black markings that parasitizes the nests of mining bees in the genus Andrena. This wasp-like bee lacks pollen-collecting structures as females lay their eggs in host nests where larvae consume the host's pollen provisions. As a specialized brood parasite, it plays a unique role in bee community dynamics and serves as an indicator of healthy mining bee populations.
The Hawk's-beard Nomad Bee faces severe decline primarily due to habitat loss and degradation of chalk grasslands and coastal areas where its host species and preferred flowering plants occur. As a cleptoparasitic bee that depends on specific host bee species, it is particularly vulnerable to disruptions in the ecological relationships that sustain both the host populations and the plant communities they depend on.
Key Facts
Habitat & Distribution
Nomada facilis inhabits flower-rich grasslands, chalk downs, and coastal dunes where its Andrena mining bee hosts establish ground-nesting colonies in sandy or well-drained soils. The species requires diverse wildflower communities, particularly areas with abundant hawk's-beard (Crepis species) and other composite flowers that provide essential nectar resources for adults.
Threats
IUCN Red List: Critically Endangered
The Hawk's-beard Nomad Bee faces severe decline primarily due to habitat loss and degradation of chalk grasslands and coastal areas where its host species and preferred flowering plants occur. As a cleptoparasitic bee that depends on specific host bee species, it is particularly vulnerable to disruptions in the ecological relationships that sustain both the host populations and the plant communities they depend on.
Agricultural intensification and pesticide use
Decline of host bee populations
Habitat loss and fragmentation of chalk grasslands
Climate change affecting habitat suitability
Loss of native flowering plants
Found in 14 Countries
National vs Global Threat Status
How this species is assessed at the national level compared to its IUCN global status (CR).
| Country | National Status | Global Status | Comparison |
|---|---|---|---|
| EU | LCLeast Concern | CRCritically Endangered | Lower local risk |
National Red List data sourced from the National Red List Project (nationalredlist.org, ZSL) and country-specific Red List authorities.
Community Sightings
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Sources & Attribution
How to Cite
IUCN: IUCN (2025). The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. Version 2025-1. Available at: https://www.iucnredlist.org. doi:10.2305/IUCN.UK.2025-1.RLTS
GBIF: GBIF.org (2025). GBIF Home Page. Available at: https://www.gbif.org
National Red Lists: ZSL (2025). National Red List. Zoological Society of London. Available at: https://www.nationalredlist.org
This page: SpeciesRadar (2025). Hawk's-beard Nomad Bee (Nomada facilis). SpeciesRadar: Intelligence for Earth's Biodiversity. Available at: https://speciesradar.org/species/hawks-beard-nomad-bee