This mimicry has evolved in order to fool predators as the species mimicked are associated with an unpleasant taste and nasty sting.

[3] Callicera spinolae is known to be one of the largest hoverfly species native to the United Kingdom with a wing length of 10–12 mm.

[3] The species has been recorded in the following locations: Southern France, Germany, Italy, Central Spain, Portugal, Romania, Tajikistan,[12] Greece[13] and Russia.

[11] Habitats require a mixture of mature, dead and dying deciduous trees in order to provide suitable rot holes for C. spinolae to lay their eggs.

[15] Rot holes used by C. spinolae are also used by other animal species, including the closely related hoverfly Callicera aurata.

Callicera spinolae will use rot holes from a wide variety of deciduous tree species including: Field maple (Acer campestre), Beech (Fagus sylvatic), Horse chestnut (Aesculus hippocastanum), Ash (Fraxinus excelsior) and Black Poplar (Populus nigra).