Andrena are generally medium-sized bees; body length ranges between 8 and 17 mm with males being smaller and more slender than females.

Some other genera in the family Andrenidae also have foveae though, so the best identifying feature unique to Andrena is the presence of a ring of hairs on the underside of their face called the "subgenal coronet".

After mating, each female bee digs a burrow, collects pollen to form firm, round provisions for the larvae to eat and places them in cells lined with a shiny secretion.

[9] Andrena are common in temperate regions of Europe, Asia, and North America and most diverse in areas with a Mediterranean climate.

A small amount of species are present in sub-Saharan Africa, and there are none in South America, Australia and nearby islands, or Madagascar.