It is widespread throughout the Palearctic but normally encountered in small numbers in mountain regions and moorland and bog locations.

[1] External images For terms see Morphology of Diptera Wing length 9 ·5–14 mm.

See references for determination[2][3][4][5] Palearctic Fennoscandia South to the Pyrenees.

Ireland East through North Europe and Central Europe (Alps) into Russia and the Caucasus and on to Siberia, the Russian Far East and Japan.

[6][7] Habitat: wet moorland, valley bog, fen and Alnus, Salix carr.