The Spotted Nomad Bee is a wasp-mimicking cleptoparasitic bee — it lays its eggs in the nests of Andrena bees rather than collecting pollen itself, letting the host provision its young. Its yellow-and-black banded body closely resembles a small wasp, providing protection. Nomad bees are obligate parasites and their populations track those of their host bees.
Best time to see a Spotted Nomad Bee
The best time to see a Spotted Nomad Bee is April–May, when about 76% of U.S. sightings happen, based on 203 research-grade iNaturalist observations.
Not certain it is a Spotted Nomad Bee? What bug is this? walks through what to check first and the lookalikes that catch people out.
Recent Spotted Nomad Bee sightings near you
Live, research-grade observations from iNaturalist. Allow location to center the map on you.
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