This moth has a grey or light-grey ground colour (sometimes buff-coloured) with distinct dark grey patches on forewing. The thorax is dark and the abdomen is usually white. The central cross-band usually fades towards the trailing edge. The cross-band varies in thickness and sometimes is just a small blotch at the leading edge (f. costovata). A melanic form (f. thules) is sometimes so dark that the central band is indistinct from the ground colour.

Pupates in loose soil.