Males of the genus have unusual curled antennae, and females have pollen-carrying hairs covering almost the entire abdomen.

[1] Systropha species occur from Spain and Morocco east to Tajikistan, and north as far as southern Germany.

They occur in both eastern and western parts of Africa, south to Namibia.

Asian species range as far south as Sri Lanka and Thailand.

[1] So far as is known, all species are oligolectic on flowers of Convolvulus, with unusual modifications of the scopa, such that almost the entire abdomen (including the dorsal surface) is used for carrying pollen, rather than the legs, as in most bees.