Kirby's Nomad Bee
Nomada subcornuta
Kirby's Nomad Bee is a small, dark-colored cuckoo bee with distinctive yellow markings and a robust, compact body typical of the Nomada genus. As a brood parasite, this species infiltrates the nests of solitary ground-nesting bees, laying its eggs in host cells where the larvae consume the provisions intended for the host's offspring.
Taxonomy & Classification
Kingdom
Animalia
Phylum
Arthropoda
Class
Insecta
Order
Hymenoptera
Family
Apidae
Genus
Nomada
Kirby's Nomad Bee belongs to the family Apidae, order Hymenoptera, within the Insecta class.
Species Profile
Kirby's Nomad Bee is a small, dark-colored cuckoo bee with distinctive yellow markings and a robust, compact body typical of the Nomada genus. As a brood parasite, this species infiltrates the nests of solitary ground-nesting bees, laying its eggs in host cells where the larvae consume the provisions intended for the host's offspring. This parasitic lifestyle makes it entirely dependent on the presence and abundance of its specific host bee species.
Kirby's Nomad Bee faces severe population decline primarily due to habitat loss and degradation of coastal dune systems where it depends on its host species. The species' highly specialized parasitic relationship with specific host bees makes it extremely vulnerable to any factors affecting host populations, while coastal development and climate change further threaten its remaining habitat.
Key Facts
Habitat & Distribution
Kirby's Nomad Bee inhabits flower-rich grasslands, heathlands, and coastal dunes where its host bees establish ground-nesting colonies in sandy or well-drained soils. The species requires areas with abundant spring and early summer wildflowers, particularly favoring sites with diverse native plant communities that support both host bees and provide nectar sources.
Threats
IUCN Red List: Critically Endangered
Kirby's Nomad Bee faces severe population decline primarily due to habitat loss and degradation of coastal dune systems where it depends on its host species. The species' highly specialized parasitic relationship with specific host bees makes it extremely vulnerable to any factors affecting host populations, while coastal development and climate change further threaten its remaining habitat.
Coastal development and urbanization
Decline of host bee populations
Habitat loss and fragmentation of coastal dunes
Climate change and sea level rise
Loss of flowering plants essential for host bees
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
This page: SpeciesRadar (2025). Kirby's Nomad Bee (Nomada subcornuta). SpeciesRadar: Intelligence for Earth's Biodiversity. Available at: https://speciesradar.org/species/kirbys-nomad-bee