[2] The mature lava is between 7 and 8 mm in length, has a brown head and a green or tan body marked with a chevron like pattern.

Colour pattern: head with upper and lower frons pale grey centrally, brown-grey laterally; antennal scape black, with a conspicuous white stripe along posterior margin; pedicel and proximal 4 flagellomeres black-scaled dorsally, other flagellomeres completely ringed with black and white; gular area white-scaled.

Forewing brassy, with transverse bands narrow in cf, broader in 9 and with a few black scales included; iridescent purple areas at apex of discal cell and along CuP.

[3][4] As well as the type locality, this species has been collected at Ōkārito and possibly also at National Park, although this latter specimen was reared from larvae on Halocarpus bidwillii and was unable to be substantiated.

[2] The almost matured larvae consume the tips of shoots of their host, turning them brown and causing them to drop from the tree after a few weeks.