Forewing ground colour light grey, a more or less horizontal black line in the form of an "S"; two conspicuous black dots on the thorax.

Pale green with dark green dorsal line; head capsule and prothoracic plate yellowish green with some brown marks laterally.

The egg is oviposited on a shoot or twig of the larval host plant from April to May.
The caterpillar folds a leaf margin downwards but leaves this fold open on both sides. It leaves this habitation to feed on other adjacent leaves. It can be found from June to early September.
The species hibernates in the pupal stage. The last instar drops to the ground and constructs a cocoon between detritus. It can be found from September to April.
The adults rest on tree trunks or rocks low to the ground. The males fly mainly in the early morning hours, even just before sunrise. They come to light, especially the females are active during the night.

The larva primarily lives on Prunus spinosa, but it has also been recorded from Sorbus aucuparia and Crataegus spp.

Woody places and hedgerows with a lot of Prunus spinosa.