E. intricaria is somewhat variable in colour pattern, and some attempts at naming varieties have been tentatively made.

Thorax and abdomen covered with long densely placed hairs, varying in colour from tawny (typical form) to black (var.

[4] [5] [6][7] The male genitalia are figured by Hippa et al. (2001) [8] The larva is figured by Hartley (1961) [9] Palaearctic Fennoscandia, Iceland and the Faroes South to central Spain, montane in the southern limit of its range and absent from most of South Europe.

[12] Flowers visited include white umbellifers yellow composites, Ranunculaceae, Armeria maritima, Cakile, Calluna vulgaris, Cirsium, Crataegus, Filipendula, Jasione, Ligustrum, Lythrum, Mentha, Polygonum cuspidatum, Prunus spinosa, Pyrus communis, Rhododendron, Rubus, Salix, Succisa.

The larvae occur in mud and fen peat beside water, in field drains, slurry and in cow dung on water-logged ground.