Length 6.5 to 7.5 mm. Metallic green elytra with pale lilac markings and a pair of round violet depressions that appear to be edged with silver in strong light. Legs long, femora metallic green, strongly microsculptured, tibiae red but darkened and metallic at apex. Tarsi shining metallic green.

Easiest to find by searching wet mud among waterside vegetation during hot weather but they scatter quickly and are difficult to follow.

Adults are active from April onwards peaking from May to August with numbers dwindling towards winter.

They breed in early spring and the predatory larvae develop through the summer.

Occurs throughout England and Wales although scarcer in the north and seemingly mostly coastal in the west country.

Fairly frequent in Leicestershire and Rutland. There were approximately 206 VC55 records for this species up to March 2015.