Heriades

Heriades are small, dark, and bulky megachilids. They are inconspicuously haired, but their cuticle is usually covered with coarse punctures. Both sexes have a transverse, curved ridge across the surface of the first tergite. Females have rather large heads, short hair that forms thin abdominal bands and a pollen brush located underneath the abdomen. Males are similar in appearance to females, but usually hairier and with a strongly curved abdomen. They nest in pre-existing cavities and use resin to build the partitions of the brood cells. They are specialized foragers that have Asteraceae plants as hosts.