These bees can become established in areas where the ground does not get disturbed such as fence-rows, headlands and other 'abandoned' areas, as well as in fields that are used for vegetable crops. Where deep tillage is a common practice, the disturbance of the soils is detrimental to the nesting bees. The females of the hoary squash bee feed only on pollen and nectar. They carry the pollen into their underground nests and provision their cells, usually a dozen or so side chambers off the main vertical shaft, with a 'pollen-loaf' on which they lay a single egg. In spring and summer, development starts again and the adult bees emerge and dig out at the same time as squash, pumpkin and zucchini start to bloom.
Male bees emerge just before the females.
Growers may be able to recognize this particular bee by its size and colouration. It is a little smaller than a honey bee, but coloured with bandings of grey and brown. It appears to be hairier than a honeybee as well. The female bees become active before dawn and work continuously until about noon, when they return to their individual nests for the remainder of the day. The male bees start to fly later in the day and after mid-day climb into the blossoms as they are closing and spend the rest of the day and night inside.