Empis trigramma is a species of dance or dagger fly. The thorax has three broad dark stripes and yellowish sides. The abdomen is golden yellow and often shiny, with a dark central stripe. The wing has no shaded area and vein R4+5 is forked. The fly's length is 4.5 to 6 mm.

Hedgerows and well vegetated areas, particularly near Hawthorn.

April to June.

Feeds on insects but also takes nectar from flowers and Hawthorn blossom.

Fairly frequent and widespread in England and Wales.

Fairly frequent in Leicestershire and Rutland.