| Dasypoda hirtipes | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Female | |
Scientific classification  | |
| Domain: | Eukaryota |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Arthropoda |
| Class: | Insecta |
| Order: | Hymenoptera |
| Family: | Melittidae |
| Genus: | Dasypoda |
| Species: | D. hirtipes |
| Binomial name | |
| Dasypoda hirtipes (Fabricius, 1793) | |
| Synonyms [2] | |
| |
Dasypoda hirtipes, the pantaloon bee or hairy-legged mining bee is a species of solitary mining bee from the family Melittidae. It is a widespread bee which is found from Great Britain to China.
Dasypoda hirtipes get one of their common names, the pantaloon bee, from the hirsute hind legs of the females which apparently swell up with pollen, deposited in the golden hairs of the hind tibiae [2] as the bee forages making them look as if they are wearing pantaloons. [4] The "pantaloons" make the females highly distinctive and easy to identify, otherwise they are a medium to large bee with yellowish-brown colouration on the thorax and the abdomen is banded with black and golden-brown. Males are less obvious but the abdomen is similar to the female's but their body is coated in long brown hairs. Their legs have longer hair than most bees but they do not have "pantaloons". As they age the sun can cause the colour of the males to fade to silvery-white. [4]
Dasypoda hirtipes occurs across Eurasia from southern Britain to China. It occurs as far north as southern Finland and southern Scandinavia [5] and south to North Africa and the Canary Islands. [1] Within Britain it is found in southern England as far north as Norfolk and western Wales, it is also found on Jersey and Guernsey in the Channel island. [2]
Dasypoda hirtipes shows a preference for exposed sandy areas [6] including shrubby Mediterranean vegetation and grassland in temperate regions, however, the species can also common in urban and suburban areas. [1] In Britain sandy heathlands and coastal dunes are the preferred habitats. [2] The females dig out nesting burrows in sandy soil and they frequently nest in large congregations, however, each female only looks after her own nest. The main shaft is quite lengthy and can be between 8 and 60 centimetres (3.1 and 23.6 in) long. The female digs it at an oblique angle which results in the spoil being deposited in a fan at one side of the entrance. The female digs side tunnels out from the main shaft at its end. Females excavate their nests in the afternoons in Denmark and rarely leave their burrows after the early afternoon. [2] The hairy "pantaloons" assist in the excavation of the nest as well as being useful for carrying pollen. These bees tend to concentrate their foraging on flowers from the Asteraceae, especially those with yellow, composite flowers like hawk's beards, ragworts, common fleabane, Hawkbits, cat's ear and oxtongues. [4] The flesh flies of the genus Miltogramma appear to be significant parasitoids in the nests of D. hirtipes. [2] The flight period of D. hirtipes in Britain is June to late August. [4]
A new species Dasypodus morawitzi was described in 2016 from museum specimens collected in eastern Europe, Russia, Central Asia and Turkey and which had been labelled as D. hirtipes. Some of these had been labelled as the subspecies D. h. minor but this name was judged not to be valid so the authors named the new species in honour of Ferdinand Morawitz who had collected many of these specimens. [7]
Dasypoda hirtipes is classed by the IUCN as Least Concern. However, it is listed as Near Threatened in Germany and Sweden, Vulnerable in Switzerland and Endangered in Norway and Slovenia. [1] It is a nationally notable species in the United Kingdom. [2]
A bumblebee is any of over 250 species in the genus Bombus, part of Apidae, one of the bee families. This genus is the only extant group in the tribe Bombini, though a few extinct related genera are known from fossils. They are found primarily in higher altitudes or latitudes in the Northern Hemisphere, although they are also found in South America, where a few lowland tropical species have been identified. European bumblebees have also been introduced to New Zealand and Tasmania. Female bumblebees can sting repeatedly, but generally ignore humans and other animals.
Mason bee is a name now commonly used for species of bees in the genus Osmia, of the family Megachilidae. Mason bees are named for their habit of using mud or other "masonry" products in constructing their nests, which are made in naturally occurring gaps such as between cracks in stones or other small dark cavities. When available, some species preferentially use hollow stems or holes in wood made by wood-boring insects.
Habropoda laboriosa, the southeastern blueberry bee, is a bee in the family Apidae. It is native to the eastern United States. It is regarded as the most efficient pollinator of southern rabbiteye blueberries, because the flowers require buzz pollination, and H. laboriosa is one of the few bees that exhibit this behavior. It is active for only a few weeks of the year, while the blueberries are in flower during early spring, when the temperature is warm and humid. H. laboriosa are solitary bees that live alone but nest in close proximity with other nests of their species. They have similar features to bumble bees, but they are smaller in size compared to them. H. laboriosa are arthropods so they have segmented bodies that are composed of the head, thorax, and abdomen.
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The genus Agapostemon is a common group of Western Hemisphere sweat bees.
Amegilla is a large genus of bees in the tribe Anthophorini.
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Andrena agilissima is a species of mining bee. They are present in most of Europe, the Near East and North Africa and can be found from April through July. Andrena agilissima is an oligolectic species, feeding only on the pollen of a few genera of Cruciferous vegetables.
Amegilla quadrifasciata, the white-banded digger bee, is a species of bee belonging to the family Apidae subfamily Apinae.
Macropis nuda is a ground nesting, univoltine bee native to northern parts of North America. Thus, this species cocoons as pupae and hibernates over the winter. The species is unusual as it is an oligolectic bee, foraging exclusively for floral oils and pollen from Primulaceae of the species Lysimachia ciliata.
Melittidae is a small bee family, with over 200 described species in three subfamilies. The family has a limited distribution, with all described species restricted to Africa and the northern temperate zone.
Colletes halophilus, the sea aster mining bee, is a rare species of mining bee from the family Colletidae which is found around the margins of saltmarsh and other coastal habitats in south-eastern England and north-western Europe. It is threatened by rising sea levels and human development which reduce its food plant sea aster and destroy its nesting areas.
Andrena scotica, the chocolate mining bee or hawthorn bee, is a species of mining bee from the family Andrenidae. It occurs in western Europe and is one of the most frequently encountered mining bees found in Great Britain, where it had been previously misidentified as Andrena carantonica.
Andrena vaga, the grey-backed mining bee, is a species of solitary bee which is found in most of Europe but which is very rare in Great Britain, where it may be recolonizing in the south-east after previously being extirpated. It specialises in feeding on the pollen of willows.
Andrena barbilabris, the bearded miner bee, is a species of miner bee in the family Andrenidae. It is found in Europe and Northern Asia and North America.
Colletes validus, colloquially known as the blueberry cellophane bee, is a solitary, specialist bee in the family Colletidae. It is found primarily in eastern North America where it nests in sandy soils near ericaceous plants.
Halictus confusus, the southern bronze furrow bee or confused sweat bee, is a species of sweat bee in the family Halictidae. It is a primitively eusocial bee species found in open habitats in Eurasia and North America.
The Clark's miner bee is a species of miner bee in the family Andrenidae. Other common names include Clark's andrena and Clarke's mining bee. It is found in Europe and Northern Asia and North America.
Dasypoda delectabilis, the delightful pantaloon bee, is a species of solitary bee from the family Melittidae. It was described in 2023 based on a single male specimen caught in arid areas of south-eastern Iran.
Dasypoda radchenkoi, also known as Radchenko's pantaloon bee, is a species of solitary bee from the family Melittidae. It was described in 2023 in the scientific journal Osmia based on specimens caught in the limestone areas of southern Spain.
