Forewing pale grey speckled with darker olive grey, especially in median area; the edges of the stigmata, the course of the basal and submarginal lines, and vein 1 marked by orange scales; lines dark olive; upper stigmata paler; the claviform darker; median shade distinct; hindwing grey, darker in female, with veins, cell spot, outer line, and submarginal shade darker; the species varies in depth of colour; the darker forms are known as ab.

(33 d) [ Polymixis rufocincta calvescens (Boisduval, 1840) ] on the other hand is a pale grey form with the yellow scaling , all but obsolete, occurring in S. France, Italy, and Sicily; ab.

nov. (33 d) is dull white, without grey dusting except in median area, the upper stigmata also whitish; hindwing paler.

The moth flies in one generation from the end of August to November [1] and are attracted to light.

The larvae feed on various grasses, such as mint, Taraxacum officinale, Senecio, Fireweed and at times even fruit bearing trees.