ID’s on each
Only the third I’ve recorded in ten years
Predominately a southern bee, with only sporadic records north of the Wash-Severn line. There are no confirmed records from Scotland or Ireland.
It is widely distributed in southern and central Europe.
Status (in Britain only)
This species is listed in Falk (1991) as Notable A (now known as Nationally Scarce).
Habitat
Found in a wide range of habitats.
Flight period
Univoltine; late March to June.
Pollen collected
Polylectic; pollen is collected from both herbaceous and woody plants.
Nesting biology
May nest singly or communally in areas of sunny bare ground, often of a sandy nature.
Flowers visited
Visits a wide variety of flowers.
Parasites
Nomada fulvicornis Fabricius is a cleptoparasite of this species. Both males and females may rarely be stylopised, the species involved being unknown.
Description and notes
One of the larger brown and yellow-striped Nomada species. Its presence should be checked wherever its host, Andrena haemorrhoa (Fabricius), is present. It is very similar in appearance to the very common Nomada flava Panzer, but rather darker generally, though not as dark as Nomada panzeri Lepeletier. The presence of a clear notch in the tip of the mandible will confirm this (the only other British Nomada with a bifid mandible is fabriciana (Linnaeus), which is smaller and red). Take care when handling live females, however; female Nomada have quite a robust sting!
These are the most expensive books I’ve ever had they are the ultimate Bee information and ID books. Well worth it the detail is incredible.
Netted 25+ of these today
Nomada ferruginata is a scarce spring-flying species with scattered records as far north as Leicestershire and north Norfolk. It attacks Andrena praecox and peaks at the same time (usually April when the pussy-willow is in blossom).
This looks good for Bombus ruderatus – dark form. A close relative of B. hortorum and often very difficult to distinguish from it. It is the only social Bombus that regularly produces all-black individuals
Cambridgeshire Bees,Wasps and Ants 
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