The bodies of both the female and male are dark brown, with pale spots on the abdomen and thorax.

[5][9] The larval stage (nymph or naiad) tunnels into the soft earth of a stream bank or seepage, where they occupy a chamber half-filled with water for about five years.

[8] Adults feed on smaller insects, including butterflies, cicadas and wasps which they can eat on the wing.

As of 2018, the New Zealand Threat Classification System lists the status of Uropetala carovei as Not Threatened.

[1] The Ngāti Rongomai iwi of the Rotorua region have a special association with the kapokapowai through oral history that describes huge numbers of dragonflies coming to the aid of a leader Rakeiao, and helping him defeat enemies in battle by flying into the faces, eyes and noses of his opponents.