[3][4] The upperside of the forewings are dark brown to black toward the outer edges, with three small white patches and a wide, bright yellow bar, and dull red nearer the body.

The underwings are very different – the rear wing is various shades of brown with cryptic, irregular markings; the underside of the forewing has a blue eyespot on a black background that is highlighted by a yellow area above and below.

[7] It is a strong, fast flier, and is thought to survive wind-blown travel from Australia to New Zealand, across the Tasman Sea.

[2][6][8] The caterpillars vary from black to grey, yellow-green or brown, with lighter coloured lines and spots running laterally along its back.

[6][8] The flight period of the adult covers all the warmer months of the year and so varies with location, e.g. in Tasmania it is from November to May,[2] while in Victoria it is from September to April.