Hairy Legged Mining Bee - Dasypoda hirtipes

Females are pretty unmistakeable due to the oversized, bright yellow pollen baskets on the hind legs and the banded abdomen. They are fairly large with a body length of about 13mm. Males resemble oversized Melitta leporina males but have two rather than three submarginal wings cells and much longer legs. The hind tibiae have lots of long hairs, but these do not form a dense brush.

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Very sandy habitats such as coastal dunes, heathland, sandpits, sandy brownfield sites and saltmarsh edge.

Univoltine; late June to the end of August or the beginning of September.

Nesting occurs in flat, sandy ground, even well-trodden footpaths, where colonies can reach great size.

Records are concentrated into south-east England but extend thinly north to north Wales, Staffordshire and Norfolk.

Status in Leicestershire and Rutland not known.