A small (about 5 mm), slender rove beetle. It is predominantly reddish brown but the rear of the abdomen is darker than the rest of the body. The legs are reddish-yellow and rather long.  Abdomen is broadest in the middle.

Found in a wide range of habitats and on a variety of soils; open areas under vegetation, stones, mosses, debris etc. it has been noted as frequenting areas with grasses such as Common Couch and Yorkshire-fog.

All year round.

It is a predator that catches ants.

Widespread though sometimes rather local in Britain.

Fairly common in Leicestershire and Rutland. There were a total of 112 VC55 records for this species up to March 2015.