Marsham’s Nomad Bee

Marsham’s Nomad Bee

(Nomada marshamella)

This is the most common species of Nomad Bee in Ireland. 

Female Nomad Bees search for the nests of Mining Bees. When they find a nest, female Nomad Bees enter and lay their own eggs inside. When the Nomad Bee hatches, it kills the Mining Bee larvae and steals their food.

The Nomad Bees and Carpenter Bees

The Nomad Bees and Carpenter Bees includes Bumblebees and Honeybees. There are over 850 different species of Nomad Bee on Earth, including 12 Irish species.

Nomad Bees do not build their own nests. Instead, they lay their eggs inside the nests of other bees and steal their food.

There are more than 500 species of Carpenter Bee worldwide. These bees burrow into dead wood to make their nests. The Violet Carpenter Bee is the only species ever found in Ireland. It is a European species that occasionally migrates here during warm summers.