DESCRIPTION: Up to 10mm in length. A quite attractive sexually dimporphic Muscid Fly with both sexes grey and black chequered but with the male having a orange to chestnut coloration to the abdomen.  The males wings are tinged with yellow while the female’s wings are only yellow towards the base.  The 4th long wing vein bends rather sharply and runs close to the outer edge of the wing in both sexes. BEHAVIOUR: The adults are mainly anthophilous and the larvae are semi-aquatic and predacious. DISTRIBUTION: Frequent throughout Britain become more common towards the North. HABITAT: Hedgerows, meadows and flowery areas especially near water. PERIOD: April to October.