Apidae

Tribe Nomadini (19 taxa)

Genus Nomada, nineteen taxa reported for Florida

These are parasitic bees, mostly on the genus Andrena but some other hosts are known.

Key to females (from Mitchell 1962)

1. Mandibles bidentate, having a distinct, subapical inner tooth….2



Mandibles simple…..3

 

2. Segment 1 of flagellum, measured on the longer side, equal to segment 2; the abdominal terga dark red, with contrastingly yellow maculations…Nomada lepida

 

Segment 1 of flagellum considerably shorter than segment 2, even on upper side; light red, the yellow maculations not so strongly contrasting, and face often yellowish between clypeus and eyes…Nomada ovata



3. Front coxae with distinct, acute spines, often obscured by the pubescence….4



Front coxae without spines or with very short obscure spines or denticles….10



4. Segment 2 of flagellum slightly shorter than basal segment, not much longer than broad….5



Segment 2 of flagellum much longer than broad, usually distinctly longer than basal segment….7



5. Propodeum with conspicuous yellow maculae…Nomada vegana



Propodeum entirely black….6

 

6. Abdominal terga 3-5 largely black, with only narrow, interrupted yellow or reddish bands or lateral spots…Nomada fervida



Abdominal terga 3-5 with bright yellow transverse bands, that on 3 interrupted medially or much narrowed medially….Nomada heiligbrodtii



7. Basal segment of flagellum very short, length about equal to the apical width; abdominal terga 2-5 with small, inconspicuous yellow maculae…Nomada seneciophylla

Basal segment of flagellum much longer than the apical width…..8



8. Terga 3-5 with ivory bands or maculae…Nomada rubicunda



Abdomen entirely red, without pale maculae….9



9. Hind tibiae with a row of five elongate black setae at apex….Nomada australis



Hind tibiae without these elongate apical setae, or if at all evident, then very short…Nomada articulata



10. Basal segment of flagellum, measured along the shorter side, at least equal to segment 2…Nomada affabilis



Length of segment 2 somewhat greater than the shorter side of basal segment…11

 

11. Abdominal terga with conspicuous, entire, bright, yellow transverse bands…12



Abdominal bands, if present, interrupted medially at least on terga 2 and 3…13

 

12. Dorsal surface of scutellum rather flat, smooth and shining between the coarse, deep, and distinct punctures; flagellar segment 2 only very slightly longer than shorter side of segment 1….Nomada bishoppi



Scutellum more rounded, coarsely rugose or closely punctate; segment 2 of flagellum much longer than shorter side of segment 1….Nomada luteola



13. Segment 1 of flagellum as long as segment 2 when measured on the longer, upper side…14



Long side of segment 1 at least slightly shorter than segment 2…16

14. Front coxae with short triangular spines…Nomada denticulata

Front coxae simple….15

15. Very small (5mm); abdominal terga nearly impunctate, with only very minute and obscure punctures visible laterally…Nomada parva



Larger (7 mm or more); abdominal terga distinctly, even though finely, punctate….Nomada illinoensis



16. Tegulae very finely and closely punctate; face with little or no black between antennae….Nomada tyrellensis

 

Tegulae more coarsely or sparsely punctate; face blackened between and above antennae…Nomada sayi

 

Key to males (from Mitchell 1962)

1. Mandibles bidentate, having a distinct, subapical inner tooth….2



Mandibles simple…..4



2. Scutellum rounded, the median groove barely evident or entirely absent; abdominal bands nearly complete; segment 1 of flagellum nearly as long as segment 2, measured on the longer side, much longer than broad…Nomada bella

Scutellum with a distinct median groove, or segment 1 of flagellum not much longer than broad, and much shorter than segment 2…3



3. Scutum and mesopleura largely red….Nomada ovata



Scutum and mesopleura largely or entirely black, abdominal terga 2-5 with entire or slightly interrupted yellow bands…Nomada lepida



4. Segment 3 of flagellum spinose beneath; pedicel nearly or quite deeply hidden in the deeply concave apex of the scape…..5

 

Segment 3 of flagellum not spinose; pedicel usually not so enclosed in the scape..8



5. Segments 2 and 3 of flagellum subequal in length, the length not much exceeding the breadth…Nomada seneciophylla

Segment 2 of flagellum considerably longer than 3, fully twice as long as broad…6



6. Hind femora simple, ventral surface rounded; scutellum bright yellow…Nomada rubicunda



Hind femora arcuate, lower surface flattened or slightly concave, the margins subcarinate…7



7. Scutum partly and scutellum entirely ferruginous; metanotum usually yellow in part..Nomada articulata

Thorax entirely black except the tubercles and a pair of small inconspicuous yellowish maculae on collar; scutellum sometimes red, but metanotum black…Nomada australis

  

8. Basal segment of flagellum equal to segment 2, even if measured along its shorter side…9



Basal segment of flagellum considerably shorter than segment 2, at least if measured along its shorter side...12

 

9. Apex of pygidium deeply incised or emarginate…10



Apex of pygidium entire, rounded, or truncate…Nomada affabilis

10. Propodeum conspicuously yellow maculate…Nomada vegana



Propodeum usually entirely black, sometimes reddened, but not maculated….11



11. Scape ferruginous; transverse yellow bands on terga 3-5 very narrow; tergum 6 entirely black…Nomada fervida

Scape yellow anteriorly; transverse bands on terga 3-5 broad laterally, narrowed medially; tergum 6 yellow maculate…Nomada heiligbrodtii



12. Abdominal terga with broad, uninterrupted yellow bands…..13



Abdominal terga either with lateral, widely separated yellow maculations, or with transverse bands that are to some degree interrupted medially….16



13. Basal vein interstitial with transverse, median vein…Nomada fragariae



Basal vein to some degree basad of transverse median…14



14. Propodeum entirely black… Nomada bishoppi



Propodeum with yellow maculations….15



15. Basal segment of flagellum, measuring along the longer side, nearly as long as segment 2…Nomada bishoppi



Segment 2 of flagellum about twice as long as basal segment….Nomada luteola



16. Segments 2-7 of flagellum excavated underneath…Nomada denticulata



Flagellar segments not so modified…17



17. Abdominal terga 2 and 3 with transverse, yellow bands which are only slightly interrupted medially..Nomada sayi



Tergum 3, and usually tergum 2 also, with lateral, yellow maculations which are rather widely separated….18



18. Very small (5mm); median antennal segments very short, breadth fully equal to length; scutellum rounded, entirely black…Nomada parva

Larger; median segments of antennae somewhat longer than broad; scutellum with reddish maculae, to some degree grooved or impressed medially….Nomada illinoensis

 

Apidae: Nomada affabilis affabilis Cresson

County Records: Wakulla

Locations:

Dates: March-June

Plants:

Notes:

Female:  

Apidae: Nomada articulata Smith

County Records: Liberty

Locations: Torreya State Park

Dates: April-August; April 16 in Florida

Plants:

Notes: Mitchell lists this for Florida

Female:  

Apidae: Nomada australis Mitchell

County Records: Alachua, Gadsden, Lake, Leon, Liberty

Locations: Gainesville, Tall Timbers Research Station, Torreya State Park

Dates: March-June; April 11-May 13 in Florida

Plants:

Notes:

Female:    

Male:

Apidae: Nomada bella bella Cresson

County Records: none in FSCA

Locations:

Dates: March to August (Mitchell)

Plants:

Notes: Mitchell lists this for Florida. No photos are available.

Apidae: Nomada bishoppi Cockerell

County Records: Gadsden (FL), Jackson (FL), Lowndes (GA), Thomas (GA)

Locations:

Dates: March-June; March 1-April 13 in Florida

Plants:

Notes:

Female:   

Male:  

Apidae: Nomada denticulata Robertson

County records: Leon

Locations: Tallahassee

Dates: March

Plants:

Notes: new state record for Florida; previously known from Georgia.

Male:   

Apidae: Nomada fervida Smith

County Records: Alachua, Gadsden, Highlands, Leon, Miami-Dade, Sarasota, Taylor

Locations: Coral Gables, Blue Spring Lake

Dates: March-September; April, June, and September in Florida

Plants:

Notes: Florida-South Carolina

Female:   

Apidae: Nomada fragariae Mitchell

County Records: Alachua, Leon

Locations: Tall Timbers Research Station

Dates: February-May

Plants:

Notes: 

Male:  

Apidae: Nomada heligbrodtii Cresson

County Records: Baker, Columbia, Wakulla, Lowndes (GA)

Locations: Osceola National Forest, St. Marks National Wildlife Refuge

Dates: April-October

Plants:

Notes:

Female:  

Male:      

Apidae: Nomada illinoensis Robertson

County Records: Leon

Locations: Tall Timbers Research Station

Dates: March

Plants:

Notes: New state record for Florida; previously known from Georgia.

Female:  

Male:

Apidae: Nomada lepida Cresson

County Records: Leon

Locations: Tall Timbers Research Station

Dates: March to July

Plants:

Notes: New state record for Florida; previously known from Georgia.

Male:  

Apidae: Nomada luteola Olivier

County Records: Alachua, Leon

Locations: Tall Timbers Research Station

Dates: March-June

Plants:

Notes:

Female:  

Male:  

Apidae: Nomada ovata Robertson

County Records: Leon, Lowndes County (Georgia)

Locations: Tall Timbers Research Station, VSU

Dates: March-April

Plants:

Notes: New state record for Florida; previously known from S. Carolina

Female:    

Male:

Apidae: Nomada parva Robertson

County Records: Alachua

Locations: Gainesville

Dates: Feb.

Plants: Prunus angustifolia

Notes: New state record; previously known from Mississippi

Female:  

Male:  

Apidae: Nomada rubicunda Olivier

County Records: Leon, Thomas County (GA)

Locations: Tall Timbers Research Station

Dates: March-June

Plants:

Notes: Mitchell lists this for Florida

Female:  

Male:

Apidae: Nomada sayi Robertson

County Records: Alachua

Locations:

Dates: March-June

Plants:

Notes:

Female:  

Male:  

Apidae: Nomada seneciophylla Mitchell

County Records: Jackson

Locations:

Dates: April-May

Plants:

Notes:

Male:  

Apidae: Nomada tyrrellensis Mitchell

County Records: Alachua, Orange

Locations:

Dates: March-May

Plants:

Notes: North Carolina to Florida; males are not known from this species

Female:

Apidae: Nomada vegana Cresson
[= N. modesta Cresson 1863, preocc.]

County records: Gadsden

Locations: Quincy

Dates:

Plants:

Notes: new state record for Florida, previously known from only Alabama

Female:  

Male: