Length 5.5 to 8 mm. A narrow and elongate ground beetle, it is dorsally flat and varies in colour from a very dark red/brown to light red brown.

Mainly from coastal regions and other dry or sandy areas.

All year round

Occurs throughout England south of a line between the Wash and the Severn estuary, previously infrequent and local but probably becoming more common.

Occasional in Leicestershire and Rutland. There were a total of 15 VC55 records for this species up to March 2015.