Dasypoda

Dasypoda are large ground nesting bees. They can be found across the Palearctic region from Europe to North Africa and East Asia. Both sexes have densely haired bodies and small mouthparts. Females typically have long, brownish, or reddish hair and light-colored abdominal bands. They can easily be identified by the conspicuous, oversized, "pantaloon-like" pollen brush covering their hind legs. Males are somewhat slimmer, have more uniform beige body hair and lack the overall flashiness of the females. They have a solitary lifestyle but occasionally form massive aggregations. Females build their nest underground, digging their own individual burrows in sandy soil using their mandibles and hind legs. They are specialized foragers that have Asteraceae plants as their hosts.