Life cycle
Prepupa
In the early stages of its life cycle, Dieunomia triangulifera spends the winter underground as a prepupa in a state of diapause, allowing it to survive harsh conditions. [5] This prepupa can be distinguished from that of Nomia melanderi by sharper dorsal prominences on the thorax, [5] and is butter-yellow with bands of orange between segments. [5]
Pupa
The insect then begins the process of becoming a pupa. [5] For around two to four days after the termination of diapause it makes occasional tiny flexing movements. [5] It then sheds the prepupal skin, a process that takes from one to six minutes in healthy prepupae. [5] This results in a soft, white, and motionless pupa. [5] This then hardens and pigments over a period of time. [5] It then sheds its skin again, over about 5-10 minutes, to emerge as an adult. [5]
Adult
The newly emerged adult has soft, white wings and must remain, motionless, in the cell for about 2 days in order for them to harden. [5] Once this is complete the bee tunnels to the surface: males usually leave within an hour, but females wait at least 24 hours before emerging, spending most of this time just below the surface. [5] The males fly low flights just above the surface, seizing the females as they emerge from the ground and attempting to forcibly mate with them: this usually results in the escape of the female, and copulation takes place rarely or never. [5] Actual courtship occurs later.
Nesting
Dieunomia triangulifera often establishes thousands of nests at a site, preferring to nest in knolls or gentle slopes if possible. [5] They can nest in a wide variety of soil types and moistures, including sand, sandy loam, loam, silt loam, and clay loam. [5] Each female of the species constructs her own nest. [5]
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