This species closely resembles the widespread and common Ashy Mining Bee (Andrena cineraria). The key difference in females is the wing shading, which is much more extensive in the current species (covering about 2/3rds of the forewing), although it is not particularly apparent in the image of the living specimen below.  Females also have darker hairs on the clypeus and sternites and slightly shorter antennael segments (segments 3-5). Males resemble those of Andrena cineraria, but have darker and shorter facial hairs and the third antennal segment is shorter. This species is also bivoltine and flies in summer long after A. cineraria has finished for the year. It is also much more restricted in its occurence, being limited to the Pyrenees and the Alps.

Distribution: This species is an alpine endemic in Europe, occuring at moderate altitudes in both the Pyrenees (Spain, Andorra, France) and the Alps (France, Italy, Switzerland, Austria?).

Flight Period: Bivoltine, flying from April-May and again from June-August.

Habitat: This is a mountain-dwelling species of subalpine meadows, forest clearings and edges as well as ruderal land and gardens between 1200 – 1700m.

Flowers Visited: This species is widely polylectic. The spring generation visits flowers such as willows (Salix) and cinquefoils (Potentilla) whilst the summer generation visits thymes (Thymus), bistorts (Bistorta) and scabiouses (Knautia) among others.

Personal Records: I have observed females of this bee at around 1700m in the Val di Cogne in NW Italy. Here there were foraging on a species of thyme in a dappled woodland clearing.