Wingspan 10–13 mm. A grey moth with diffuse darker strigulae across the entire wing. The scales are tipped with ochreous yellow, more obvious towards the termen. Ocellus edged plumbeous grey with a few black dashes. There may also be pre-ocellar black marks. There are short oblique pale strigulae on the entire length of the costa, some of which may continue with fine plumbeous striae.
Given the resemblance to Cydia medicaginis, determination via the genitals is necessary.

The larva is whitish with a light brown head, the neck plate is light brown-grey with one fine dark dot on each side and two at the back, the anal valve is small, light brown.

The larva feeds inside the seed heads on the developing seeds. Pupation in a silken cocoon and earth granulates attached to the stems of the foodplant or spun up amongst surface litter.
The adults occasionally fly in the sunshine and at dusk they fly freely over the foodplants and later come to light.

The larva lives on Ononis repens and Ononis spinosa.

It inhabits dry pastures and wasteground.