It is found in most of Europe including the European part of Russia and in Asia Minor, the Caucasus, Armenia and Azerbaijan.

The forewings have strongly toothed lines, whose which continue on the hindwings.

The margin of the large hindwing is very heavily ruffled and incised, which differ from other species of Charissa moths.

[4] The British entomologist Albert Brydges Farn (1841–1921) wrote to Charles Darwin on 18 November 1878 about his observation that colour variations in the annulet moth related to soil colour.

He suggested this was an example of "survival of the fittest", and added that he had found dark moths on a chalk slope where foliage had been blackened by smoke from lime kilns.