Wingspan 42–60 mm. The adult has six large bluish-black spots on the densely haired thorax and the strongly stippled whitish wings are characteristic of this species. The male's antennae are pinnate at the base.

The eggs are deposited individually or in small groups on the bark.

Up to 40–55mm. The body is shiny light yellow, the head is dark brown to black and lighter in the center, neck plate and warts very dark brown.

The caterpillar lives in hardwood, usually in very thin branches. The larva hibernates twice. It feeds in the living wood (branches, trunks) of the host plant, usually thin young trunks or branches with a diameter of no more than 10 cm. Frass often indicates the larval presence. Infected thin branches sometimes wilt and die.
The full grown larva prepares an exit hole which sometimes remains closed by a thin layer of bark.
Pupation takes place at the end of the gallery, head down. The pupa protrudes the exit hole before emerging.
The moths come to light but males more frequently than females.

Various deciduous trees and shrubs, often in fruit trees. To name a few Populus, Salix, Fagus sylvatica, Quercus robur, Carpinus betulus, Corylus avellana, Pyrus communus, Malus domesticus, Sorbus aucuparia, Prunus, Crataegus, Cydonia oblonga, Spirea, Rubus idaeus, Acer, Aesculus hippocastanum, Ilex aquifolium, Tilia, Frangula alnus, Olea europaea, Fraxinus excelsior, Syringa vulgaris, Viburnum lantana, Hippophae rhamnoides, Ulmus, Ribes, Lonicera, Rhus typhina, Mahonia, Tamarix, Platanus, Vitis vinifera etc...

It inhabits wooded areas.