This species is widespread throughout much of the Palearctic realm (Europe, Russia,[1] Afghanistan, Turkestan, and Mongolia[2]), but has recently also been reported from North America, from the Magdalen Islands in Canada.

[3] These moths inhabit a range of open environments such as heaths, meadows, forest edges, gardens, parks and suburban areas.

Orbicular is represented by two or three dark points, reniform by a curved black line at lower end.

The hindwings of male are white, with the veins and termen narrowly fuscous, while in the female thy are wholly brown, with paler base.

The main recorded food plants are lady's bedstraw (Galium), hawkweed (Hieracium), catsear (Hypochaeris), lettuce (Lactuca), hawkbit (Leontodon), campion (Silene), sow thistle (Sonchus) and dandelion (Taraxacum).