Otites formosa can reach a body length of 5–10 millimetres (0.20–0.39 in).

The head is orange-red and the large compound eyes are reddish.

The wings are decorated with distinctive dark drawings.

This species is present in Albania, Belgium, Bulgaria, Croatia, Czech Republic, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Italy, Poland, Romania, Russia, eastern Palearctic realm, and in the Near East.

This article related to members of the fly family Ulidiidae is a stub.