[4] The adult Tephritis neesii has a blackish-brown body, with a paler powder on the surface, which is less pronounced on the abdomen.

The body bears short black hairs, the tips of which appear yellow in reflected light.

[6] Eggs of T. neesii are shiny, white, and approximately 0.7 millimetres (0.028 in) long and a little over 0.2 mm (0.008 in) wide at the widest point.

[5] The second-instar larva is about 1.5 mm (0.059 in) long, and yellowish-white, with rows of pyramidal warts on each segment.

[5] The larvae pupate within a plant's capitulum (flower head), and the animals overwinter as adults.