The length can be up to 13mm. This distinctive longhorn beetle has elytra with basal 1/3rd reddish/chestnut and the remaining 2/3rds black with 3 to 4 transverse pubescent bands. The thorax is grey/black.  In the melanic variety hieroglyphicus  the basal third of the elytra is black not red as in the standard form.

In hedgeside vegetation and old log piles.

The adults emerge around April having spent the winter in the pupal cell under bark.

The larvae feed for two years in dead wood of various broad-leaved trees. The adults then visit flowers to feed, particularly favouring Hawthorn.

This species is fairly frequent and widespread in England.

Fairly frequent in Leicestershire and Rutland but never common. There were a total of 43 VC55 records for this species up to March 2015.