It is found throughout Southeast Asia, with its range stretching from northern India, Myanmar, Laos, Thailand, Vietnam, China, Taiwan, and Japan.

The moth's larvae feed on Helicia cochinchinensis, and they build up toxic cyanide compounds within its body.

A moderately large moth, with a wingspan of 70–80 millimetres (2.8–3.1 in),[2] its wings are covered in brightly colored and iridescent patterns[3] that serve as aposematic deterrence.

[9] Of the Chalcosiine moths, a study by Yen Shen-Horn et al. postulates that E. pulchella demonstrates the "greatest degree of wing maculation and zonation" of all its relatives.

[18] Because of the striking colors of the wings, they are often harvested for the purpose of jewellery, both historically and in the modern day.

[11] This aposematic coloration is due to the toxic nature of the moth, as its body contains hydrogen cyanide throughout all life stages.

[10] A comprehensive study of the subfamily Chalcosiinae by Shen-Horn Yen et al. placed E. pulchella as a part of clade 11, of which will be illustrated below:[10] Amesia sanguiflua Amesia aliris Amesia apoensis Erasmiphlebohecta picturata Chalcophaedra zuleika Erasmia pulchella Eucorma obliquaria Eucorma intercisa Eucorma euphaena Pidorus circe Pidorus ochrolophus Pseudoscaptesyle circumdata Pidorus fasciatus Soritia bicolor Barbaroscia amabilis Their findings support a close relationship between Erasmia and Barbaroscia, Pseudoscaptesyle, Amesia, Eucorma, Erasmiphlebohecta, and Chalcophaedra.

[1] The larvae of the Japanese subspecies feed on Helicia cochinchinensis,[23][12] Quercus acutissima, and Triadica sebifera.

[32][33] To deter predators such as birds, adults exude noxious chemicals in the form of foam from the neck area.

[11][12] This chemical, in the form of cyanide, does not cause a reaction in contact with human skin,[34] and can simply be washed off with water.

The compounds are derived from the larval diet of toxic plants, and the scent of the foam has been described as smelling like ginger.

[34] There has been documentation that subspecies sakishimana of the Yaeyama Islands exudes its foam through the tips of its legs.

[37] In addition to birds, the moths are parasitized by Braconid wasps such as members of the genus Conspinaria.

[19][28] There are four subspecies found in Japan, with its distribution stretching as far south as the Ryukyu Islands,[11][12] with the furthest easternmost point being the Kii Peninsula.

Its hostplant of Helicia cochinchinensis has a range that does not extend past the Tōkai region, explaining the limit.

[45][26][6] Yen Shen-Horn translated the name into English as the "Dayflying Helicia Zygaenid Moth".

[46] The Japanese language name for Erasmia pulchella is サツマニシキ, Satsuma-nishiki,[2] with the various members of the 4 subspecies being differentiated through their geographic location.

[27] The term "nishiki" in its name alludes to a type of Japanese patterned silk fabric with gold threads, of which the wings resemble.