[3] The larva is typically slender and cylindrical with pinkish, dark head capsule and segments are distinct; caterpillar has small, bristle-like structures on its body.

[2] The adult moth has distinctive black triangle patches along the lateral margins of its forewings, giving it a brownish-gray (silver-gray) appearance.

[2] Tomato stemborer is considered native to the Andean mountain region in South America, specifically surrounding Peru and Bolivia.

[8][9] The larvae were first discovered burrowing into the stem of a native plant, Solanum aviculare on October 4, 1979, in Waitara, Taranaki.

[8] On February 14, 1980, small caterpillars were identified as tomato stemborers, and they were found to be connected to dark lesions on stems and near leaf nodes.

[8] Later, it was also found that the tomato stemborer also feeds on S. aviculare on Takaka Hill, Riwaka, Nelson, Pukekohe, and Mount Albert Research Centre, Auckland.

[8] Usually, the larvae enters through the stem buds, which are immature growth points of the host plant, on a wound, which could also introduce microorganisms that cause secondary infections.

[8][2][11] Possible predators of tomato stemborer are from a variety of insect orders, which includes Heteroptera,[12][13] Hymenoptera,[14] Dermaptera,[15] Coleoptera,[16] Neuroptera,[17] and Thysanoptera.

[6] Furthermore, eggs and pupae has a high survival rate >80% when temperature conditions are met; immature development takes around 190 days.

[2] When tomato stemborer coexists with Phthorimaea opercuella, crop damage may increase compared to when the species occurs alone, potentially leading to financial losses.

[22] Although field losses in the Andes regions in South America can amount to up to 30%, the most economically significant damage is when infected tomatoes or tubers are moved to stores where they become re-infested.

[24][22] Tomato stemborer might decrease their potential establishment on tropical and subtropical regions due to rising temperatures from climate change.