The females are brachypterous, their shortened wings do not enable them to fly.

Yellowish green, head capsule brown, prothoracic plate yellow.

The species probably hibernates in the egg stage. The eggs are oviposited on a twig or the bark of the larval hostplant.
The caterpillar spins two leaves together or folds the margin of one leaf downwards. The first instars do not skeletonize the leaf but eat the entire leaf area. The development of the larva is much faster than in Diurnea fagella. They can be found from June till early August.
Pupation amongst leaf litter on the ground in the period August–October.
Males fly during the day in sunshine, mainly from noon till late afternoon on warm windless days, and later they come to light. They have been observed fluttering amongst low plants on the forest floor while assembling to females. Females hide low to the ground in bushes or on lower branches of trees.

Polyphagous. The larva lives in a folded or rolled leaf mainly on Carpinus betulus or Quercus petraea and several other species of Fagaceae. It has also been recorded from Acer, Alnus, Amelanchier, Betula, Crataegus, Fagus sylvatica, Fragaria, Fraxinus, Geum, Malus, Populus, Prunus, Quercus, Rosa, Rubus, Sorbus, Tilia, and Vaccinium myrtillus.

Different kinds of deciduous and mixed forests, mainly Fageto-Quercetum with a lot of open spaces, bushes, gardens.