Turret-builders
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Anthophorini
Digger Bees, Digger Bee, Burrowing Bees
Anthophorini is a large tribe of solitary bees in the family Apidae, commonly known as digger bees or burrowing bees. The tribe contains over 750 species worldwide, with the majority in the genera Amegilla and Anthophora. These bees are ground-nesting specialists, excavating burrows in soil, sand, or clay substrates, often constructing distinctive turrets at nest entrances. Many species exhibit bumble bee mimicry and have specialized associations with particular plant groups for pollen collection.