You can easily tell apart flies of the Heleomyzidae family by the regularly spaced spines on the fore edge of the wings. Suillia variegata has a hairy thorax, and wings with a small pale area on the tip after a darker patch.

• fronto-orbital plate well demarcated and oblique, not fixed against eye margin
• wings patterned but with white tips
• sternopleura hairy
• arista plumose

It is found in various habitats, but adults are often found in the vicinity of fungi and decay suitable for the larvae.

All year round with peaks in April/May and July/August.

Larvae feed on mushrooms and on decaying matter.

It is fairly frequent and can be found throughout Britain but seems to be more frequent in the south.

Fairly frequent in Leicestershire and Rutland.