Nomada

The genus Nomada contains over 850 species and is one of the largest of the Apidae genera. These bees are wasp like with yellow and black, or brown and black markings. Most of them are Kleptoparasites and are known as cuckoo bees, due to laying their eggs in the nests of other species, mainly Andrena and Halictus bees. The developing larvae do not eat the host larvae but the food intended for them.

Nomada bees can be mistaken for Sphecodes bees. However, the basal vein of Nomada is almost straight, whereas in Sphecodes it is strongly curved.