It is distributed throughout most of the Palearctic realm from Ireland in the west of Europe east to the Caucasus, Turkey, Syria, Kazakhstan, Russia, Siberia, Mongolia, then Japan.

In Europe it is found from the Arctic Circle to Spain and Italy (including Sicily) in the south, as well as in the northern regions of Greece.

Forewing ochreous, with a rufous tinge; veins, especially the median, whiter, lined by fine brown streaks, which also appear in the interspaces; a dark shade below median nervure; a black clot at lower angle of cell; outer row of dots shown only by those on veins 2 and 5; hindwing dull grey.

fuscipennis nov. [Warren] from Calabria and La Grave, Hautes Alpes, smaller than typical, the hindwing is blackish fuscous.

It feeds on various grasses including Alopecurus, Dactylis, Deschampsia, Leymus and Phragmites and has also been recorded on the sedge, Carex and the rush, Luzula.