X. pubescens is commonly found in areas extending from India to Northeast and West Africa.

It must reside in these warm climates because it requires a minimum ambient temperature of 18 °C (64 °F) in order to forage.

[7] In scientific Greek, Xylocopa pubescens literally means "wood chopper covered with hairs".

[8] Males are smaller than females, distinguished by a narrow head and yellow pubescence that covers their entire bodies.

[9] X. pubescens has been found throughout the Eastern Mediterranean Basin, North Africa and the Middle East.

[10] The species tends to inhabit these relatively warm areas as it requires a minimum temperature of 18 °C (64 °F) in order to forage.

X. pubescens makes its nest in dead tree trunks, sticks, canes, branches, or soft wood such as eucalyptus.

Females enlarge nests by digging new tunnels when progeny are in the late larval or pupal stages.

Young males and females emerge from the beginning of May until the end of the breeding season in November.

The first progeny to emerge will push its siblings father into the tunnel and take over the vacated space.

[12] Reproductive suppression is often used in social insect colonies by queens to maintain a genetic monopoly of the offspring in the nest.

[14] X. pubescens cannot forage in temperatures below 18 °C (64 °F), likely due to the energy needed to maintain body heat for their large size.

Scent is also an important factor, as most nectar-producing plants visited by X. pubescens have a strong odor to attract bees and insects.

[2] In India plants visited by X. pubescens for pollen are Cochlospermum religiosum, as well as Peltophorum, Cassia and Solanum species.

Those visited for nectar include Calotropis, Bauhinia, Crotalaria, Anisomeles, and Gmelina species and some other plants.

[15] In the Mediterranean the most common plants visited by X. pubescens for both pollen and nectar are Helianthus annuus, Parkinsonia aculeate, Luffa aegyptiaca, as well as Lonicera species.

[2] In Israel, the ranges of X. pubescens and X. sulcatipes overlap, leading to competition between the two species for plants to forage on.

Upon arrival from a foraging trip, the female, carrying nectar and/or pollen, proceeds to the end of the tunnel.

Nectar is used to wet the pollen slant either by licking the surface after returning from a foraging trip, or by mixing.

Males make territorial flights in shaded areas at a height ranging from a few centimeters to a few meters (inches to yards).

Upon arrival at a desirable site where there are no current inhabitants, the female will inspect the existing tunnel system extensively.

If the intruder is able to bypass the resident bee at the entrance, a struggle will ensue accompanied by loud buzzing noises.

Either the intruder is then thrown out, or will throw out the resident, at which point the process for a takeover occurs, beginning with the eviction of any existing brood.

[18] X. pubescens have glands that are vital in their exocrine system and play a large part in communication.

Unicellular secretory elements in these glands empty through a duct into the intersegmental membranes, from which the chemicals are released.

These are strictly hydrocarbons in X. pubescens, and are used to mark flowers that have been previously visiting on foraging trips in order to avoid them.

These scent markings on previously visited flowers are recognized both by X. pubescens and X. sulcatipes, which allows the two species to be more efficient in foraging.

Upon exit of the nest to embark on a foraging trip, a female will make an orientation flight for visual familiarity.

It is likely that multiple glands are active in marking the nest entrance due to the high specificity required for the scent.

Birds have also been observed to feed on X. pubescens, specifically the woodpecker species Dendrocopos syriacus in Mediterranean regions.