The name squash bee, also squash and gourd bee, is applied to two related genera of bees in the tribe Eucerini; Peponapis and Xenoglossa. Both genera are oligoleges (pollen specialists) on the plant genus Cucurbita and closely related plants, such as cucumbers. They are small genera, containing only 13 and seven described species, respectively, and their combined range is nearly identical to the range of Cucurbita in the New World, from South America to North America. Their range has become somewhat expanded along with the movement of cucurbits into other areas (as crop plants). These bees are of moderate size, equal to various bumblebees. The pollen-carrying hairs on their legs (the scopa) are unbranched or nearly so, and sparse, to accommodate the exceptionally large, coarse pollen of th