Common Pantaloon Bee Dasypoda hirtipes

The "pantaloon bee" gets its name honestly: its extraordinarily hairy hind legs function as enlarged pollen baskets that bulge visibly with supplies as it flies between flowers. As a truly solitary bee—not colonial like honeybees or bumblebees—each female digs her own underground nest and provisions it entirely for her offspring. One of the world's most widespread bees, this species ranges from Great Britain all the way to China, making it a familiar pollinator across multiple continents.