Dasypoda hirtipes

Its most striking feature is the extremely long, golden pollen-collecting hairs on the hind legs.

It is the only member of its genus found in Britain.

It is widespread in Europe, from southern Finland south to Spain and the Canary Islands.

In Britain it occurs in southern England and Wales, north to Merionethshire and Norfolk, and on Guernsey and Jersey.

It lives on sandy soils, especially heathland and coastal dunes.

It has one generation a year, flying from late June to the end of August or early September.

Each pollen ball for a larva stands on small tripod-like supports that reduce contact between the food and the cell wall.

The female digs a very long main burrow, 8 to 60 cm, at a slant, leaving a fan of spoil beside the entrance.

In a German study, females collected pollen only from yellow daisy-family flowers made entirely of strap-shaped florets, like dandelions.

Compared with a bee that shares its sites, it stays active for more of the day and keeps flying at lower temperatures.

It works flowers quickly: one study measured about 0.7 seconds per flower.

Flesh flies of the genus Miltogramma seem to be important parasites in its nests.

In Britain this bee is known as the pantaloon bee, a name also used for the genus Dasypoda as a whole.

In Britain it is classed as a Nationally Notable (Nb) species.