The species has a southern distribution within the regarded geographical area (Fig. 5B), being recorded in all countries except Latvia (Timm et al. 2011; Zwick 2020), although it undoubtedly occurs here too. It is abundant in U.K and Denmark. Its northern boundary is located at approx. 60.5° latitude in Fennoscandia and at 57.5° latitude in the U.K. Its distributional area extends to middle and southern Europe (Spain, Italy, Balkan) and, to the east, into the European part of Russia (West of Ural), Ukraine and Western Turkey (Zwick 2020). Furthermore, it is found in the Nearctic (Zwick 2020).
The species is confined to running water habitats. In Denmark, larvae are primarily found in small brooks with a width <2 m, typically located in woodlands. However, it also occurs in helocrens, frequently in microhabitats with almost no water movement. Preference for woodland streams is reported from the U.K. (Stubbs 1993).
Adults are primarily found from May to July (peaking in June) in the U.K., Denmark and Fennoscandia. There are late records in September in the U.K. (Stubbs 1993).