[1][2] It is native to North America, where it occurs across Canada and in the eastern United States.

It is black with pale hairs on the head and yellow on the abdomen.

[3] This bee occurs in maritime Canada, temperate forest, the Canadian Prairies, tundra, and taiga.

It feeds on several types of plants, including cohosh, fireweeds, kalmia, honeysuckles, bergamot, blackberries, and bilberries.

[1] This species was found to harbor the bee parasite Nosema bombi.