Forewing coppery purple, reflecting violet on most of costal half; white markings broader in ♀ than in ♂; basal band oblique, not meeting costa, often present as a patch centred on vein CuP, curving to dorsum (♀) or an arcuate oval (♂); anal angle (base of dorsum) broadly (♀) or narrowly (♂) white; antemedian band oblique, often with a central fine line of black scales; median band present as an obscurely divided white patch ending on discal cell; postmedian band interrupted on discal cell by a dark violet-reflecting dot; terminal area of wing largely white-scaled on costal half.

Metanotum, hindwings, and abdomen dark to pale grey-scaled; thorax and abdominal venter paler-scaled.

Male hindwing with a long axillary tuft extending to at least half abdomen length.

[3]This species can be distinguished from similar appearing moths by the pattern of white bands on its forewings, the forewing ground colour of reflective violet, and the long axillary tuft at the base of the hindwing of the male of the species.

[1] Along with the type locality this species has been observed in the Taupo, Hawkes Bay, North Canterbury, Westland, Dunedin, Central Otago and Southland regions.