They are a member of the Calpini tribe, whose precise circumscription is uncertain but which includes a number of other fruit-piercing or eye-frequenting genera currently classified in Calpinae.

[1] The common name of many of these species, vampire moth, refers to the habit that they have of drinking blood from vertebrates.

The abdomen features coarse hair on the dorsum; the tibia is spineless, but slightly hairy.

The Swedish observation was in Skutskär, north of the capital of Stockholm,[4] whilst the sightings in Finland have been more numerous.

The blood pressure of the victim supplies power to raise hooks on the proboscis to ensure the insect is not easily detached.

[4] Human skin penetrated in this way may turn red and be sore for several hours leaving an itchy rash.