This is a ‘medium’sized’ Andrena with a strongly-banded abdomen. Females possess bands of pale cream hairs along the rear margin of each tergite, with a dull orange terminal fringe (the ‘tail’ of the abdomen).  The face, legs and sides of the thorax have pale, straw-coloured hairs whilst the top of the thorax has short squamous orange hair. The females are oligolectic on mignonettes (Reseda sp.).

Distribution: A western Mediterranean species found in Spain, Portugal, southern France as well as northern Algeria and Morocco.

Flight Period: Data is limited, but in Iberian at least it appears to fly in a single generation between April – June.

Habitat: Occurs in field margins, dry grasslands, steppic grassland, scrub and woodland edges where Reseda species grow.

Flowers Visited: The females are oligolectic on mignonettes (Reseda sp.)

Personal Records: I have recorded females of this species on the outskirts of Rivas-Vaciamadrid in central Spain. Here they were observed foraging on Wild Mignonette (Reseda lutea) on an east-facing hillside with scrub and dry stoney grassland.