Length 9 - 11 mm. Variable. The head is usually red with black behind the eyes but may be black in front of the eyes too. There is usually a dark mark on the pronotum but this is variable. The legs vary from all red to having some black but not ringed at the apices. The dark form has dusky red/orange elytra and darker femora. The all-red form lacks any black on the pronotum and legs and is red throughout.

This species is larger than the similar Cantharis cryptica and C. pallida - both of which are 7-8mm in length. Rhagonycha translucida lacks the blacks knees and has a pronotum that narrows towards the head. Cantharis figurata is also variable and can be similar but is smaller.

Flower meadows and well vegetated areas.

Late spring and summer.

Both adults and larvae are predatory. The adults often taking their prey on flowers, whilst larvae hunt on the ground.

Widespread and fairly frequent in England and Wales, with most Scottish records being from coastal areas.

Fairly frequent in Leicestershire and Rutland. There were a total of 52 VC55 records for this species up to March 2015.