It is distributed throughout Europe and Turkey, ranging across the Palearctic realm to Siberia, Manchuria and Japan.

Well-marked individuals are fairly distinctive, but forms with obscure markings can be difficult to distinguish from other species.

The difference between the ground colour and the dark shading is pronounced, the ground being pale grey, often reddish tinted, and the markings blackish fuscous;some black wedge shaped marks before submarginal line; the upper stigmata whitish.

(40 d) the forewing has a short black streak from base below cell, and another on inner margin near base, often with dark cloud above its end; a black streak along submedian fold between inner and outer lines, below which the inner marginal area is paler; the dark suffusion on the rest of wing somewhat stronger; in ab.

See Townsend et al.[3] This moth flies at night and is attracted to light, sugar and nectar-rich flowers.