One of three Palloptera species with a grey thorax and black spotted wings. The abdomen is generally grey but can have some orange. The legs are orange.

Separable from the very similar P. umbellatarum by having bristles along the hind section of the mesopleuron and also having smaller wing spots, with those over the cross-veins typically dumbell-shaped. It also lacks the wing spot along the anal vein seen in P. umbellatarum.

Separated from P. usta by having a dark spot over the inner cross vein.

Grassland with plentiful thistles and knapweeds.

May - October (adults)

The larvae of this fly are predators of tephritid larvae which are developing in thistle and knapweed flower heads.