The most likely confusion species in Britain is Andrena scotica as this also has an early flight period but C. cunicularius is larger than A.scotica with longer antennae and does not have a fovea on the face.

[3] Colletes cunicularius is widespread in the Palearactic from Great Britain in the west to the Pacific coasts of Siberia and China in the east.

[1] In Great Britain it was restricted to the western coastal areas between south Wales and Cumbria but it has been expanding its range inland.

As of 2015[update] it had recently colonised Jersey from the nearby continent and this may also be the source of Colletes cunicularius which have begun to breed in southern England.

The brood cells are lined with a cellophane-like membrane that is waterproof, has antifungal properties, and is thought to aid in the maintenance of the appropriate level of humidity as the bee's larvae develop.