One of a group of five generally distinctive summer-flying species, females of which all have the hind tibiae widest at the apex (i.e. triangular in outline), not before the apex, as in the vast majority of Andrena. The abdomens of these species have distinct, wide bands of long hairs on each dorsal segment, giving them a rather furry appearance overall. Separating the species within the group is rather more difficult. In fact there has been considerable discussion as to whether this species and Andrena nigriceps are the same species with different facial hair colour (black in female A. nigriceps, brown in female A. simillima). Males are very similar to each other. A specimen exists in the collection at Birmingham where half the face has black hairs, the other half being brown! Against this, it is unusual to find mixes of both 'species' in the same area.

More pictures and notes can be found on Steven Falk's Flickr site.