Adult moths are commonly on the wing from December to June and are attracted to light.

[8] Hudson discussed and illustrated this species under the name Selidosema lipinata in his 1928 book The butterflies and moths of New Zealand.

[10]Gaskin described the larva of this species as follows: The freshly emerged caterpillar is yellow.

When fully grown it is about an inch and a quarter long and dark rather dull yellow with brownish mottling and darker brown markings.

[10]George Hudson described the adult of the species as follows: The expansion of the wings is from 1+1⁄4 to 1+3⁄8 inches.

In the female the sub-apical marking is darker and both fore- and hind-wings are more or less sprinkled with brown.