12-14mm. A sturdy-looking fly with a grey and black banded abdomen, particularly so in the female, which is long and conical. The hind femora have two rows of anteroventral bristles (not necessarily neat rows but clearly not one line). The hairs on the top of the abdomen are mainly black but those underneath and on the sides are largely pale. The frons of the female has a large, black, shiny patch which is bilobed and reaches almost to the ocelli. The female has broad, blunt spines on the ovipositor. The veins tend to be darker in this species than others in the genus.

Thereva nobilitata and T. strigata are similar but in both these species the female ovipositor has slender and pointed spines.

Associated with disturbed and sandy soil.

Mainly May - July.

Uncommon but widespread, especially in the south-east of England.

Rare.