[3] Osmia spinulosa is distributed from the Spanish foothills of the Pyrenees (Girona) across Europe, Asia Minor, Caucasus and western Central Asia to the Central Siberian mountains (Tomsk, Kemerovo, Altai Republic); north to South Wales and Central England, in Scandinavia to 60 ° N in Norway and Sweden, in Russia to Kirov and Perm; south to Sicily and southern Bulgaria.

Moderately frequent, especially in the hill country and in the limestone low mountain ranges.

It occurs on inland dunes and drifting sand fields, weathering heaps, disused quarries, fallow sheep pastures (juniper heaths), warm forest fringes, structurally rich, old fallow vineyards, uneven meadows, rarely dry and warm ruderal areas.

Pollen sources are Anthemis tinctoria, Anthemis arvensis, Inula hirta, Inula salicina, Inula ensifolia, Buphthalmum salicifolium, Pulicaria dysenterica, Aster amellus, Senecio jacobaea, Echinops spaerocephalus, Cirsium vulgare, Cirsium arvense, Carduus crisous, Cichorium intybus, Picris hieracioides, Leontodon autumnalis, Hieracium pilosella.

[3] This bee nests in empty smaller snail shells like Helicella itala and Helicella obvia, Cepaea nemoralis, Zebrina detrita and Futicicola fruticum, once also found in a small shell of Helix pomatia.

The building material used is chewed plant parts (plant mortar) from the edges of the leaves of Sanguisorba minor and Potentilla reptans and not, as previously suspected due to a misinterpretation, hare or sheep dung.

After completing the nest, the bee turns the entrance of the snail shell downwards so that the opening points downwards.