Cheilosia variabilis is a European species of hoverfly. Like most Cheilosia it is black, and because of this may often be overlooked as a hoverfly. Adult flies were found from May to August visiting flowers of Aegopodium podagraria, Alliaria petiolata, Anthriscus sylvestris, Apiaceae, Aurinia saxatilis, Conium maculatum, Crataegus laevigata, Euphorbia cyparissias, Meum athamanticum, Potentilla reptans, Ranunculus repens, Salix spec., Sambucus nigra and Sorbus aucuparia. The larvae are miners in the rhizomes of Scrophularia nodosa and in the stalks of Scrophularia auriculata. It is little recorded, and is considered rare and scarce throughout most of its range.