Ireland possesses roughly 90% of the population of this bee within the Atlantic Zone and globally, the populations here are of great importance. It is relatively widespread and can be locally common in sandy coastal areas.  In the north and west of the island,  it is the only Colletes bee which inhabits these habitats. It can also be encountered on the south and east coasts where it shares its habitat with Colletes similis. It is similar to the other species within its genus, but females have a rusty-brown thoracic pile with sparse black hairs, rather narrow grey abdominal bands and the first tergite is relatively shiny.  Males are difficult to identify and are best examined under a microscope. It is listed as Near Threatened in Ireland.

Distribution in Ireland: It is distributed around much of the Irish coast, although it is absent from the northeast. There are a few old inland records for Wicklow, Kilkenny and Wexford, but these may be erroneous.

Flight Period: Early June-late August. Males typically emerge around a week before females.

Habitat: Almost entirely confined to coastal dunes and machair type grassland.

Flowers visited: The most widely polylectic of the Irish Colletes, foraging on hawkweeds, Wild Carrot, Hogweed, Wild Thyme, Marsh Cinquefoil, clovers, brambles, buttercups, Sheep’s-Bit and others.

Personal Records: I have observed this species at Dunfanaghy and Sheskinmore (Co. Donegal), Brittas Bay (Co. Wicklow), The Raven and Ballyteigue Burrow (Co. Wexford), Long Strand (Co. Cork) and Baltray Dunes in Co. Louth. At the latter site and at the Donegal sites it is particularly abundant, with large numbers seen in sheltered south-facing hollows among the grey dunes. Males can be seen nectaring on flowers such as Wild Carrot or hawkweeds and lekking around the nesting aggregations, which on occasions can be rather large. Females can be observed around these aggregations, depositing their nests with pollen. In certain Irish localities it occurs alongside the similar Colletes similis, although that species tends to nest singly or in smaller aggregations. It is one of the hosts of the parasitic fly Miltogramma punctata.