[1] The abdomen is long, with yellowish stripes and a double band on tergites two and three.

These two species can be distinguished from one another in that males of H. sexcinctus have longer, reddish antennae, and females lack said basal hair bands.

Normally they dig vertical tunnels in the ground, with a circular entrance surrounded by a cone of earth.

This primitive species can also be eusocial, with smaller females acting as workers.

These bees feed on nectar and pollen of various flowers, especially on Asteraceae species.