This species is an attractive bee which forages on composite flowers, like most of species in the subgenus Chlorandrena. Females possess strong, pale foveae and a banded abdomen. They also possess small spines on the hind femur and short squamous hairs on the top of the thorax. Males possess white markings across the lower face, including part of the madibles. They have abundant pale hairs when fresh. It is best searched for in sunny open areas on flowers such as the Crown Daisy (Glebionis coronaria) during April and May.
Distribution: This species occurs throughout much of the Portugal, Spain and southern France.
Flight Period: Univoltine, flying between April – July.
Habitat: It occurs in warm, flower-rich sites with abundant Asteraceae, such as maquis, coastal dunes, brownfield land, field margins, dry meadows and scrub.
Flowers Visited: Females obtain pollen solely from Asteraceae, particularly Crown Daisy (Glebionis coronaria), Anacyclus radiatus and everlastings such as Helichrysum serotinum.
Personal Records: I have observed females of this species around the flowery meadows and dunes at Praia de Pêra in southern Portugal. Here they were foraging particularly on Crown Daisy, which is abundant in this area during spring.