It prefers well lit damp forests or moist fern-covered banks and lives at altitudes ranging from sea-level to approximately 500 m. Adults are on the wing from October to December.

This species is normally day flying but males have been collected at night via light trapping.

[1] The male holotype specimen was collected in Auckland by Lt Col Daniel Bolton, RE, and held at the Natural History Museum, London.

[2]Although M. fusilella is similar in appearance to M. loxoscia, it can be distinguished, as the former has white patches under its head and on parts of the forewing.

[1] It lives at altitudes ranging from sea-level to approximately 500 m.[1] Adults of this species are on the wing from October to December.

[1] This species is normally day flying but males have been collected at night via light trapping.