Wingspan 12–15 mm. Yellow-white forewings with a little dark brown drawing at the bottom along the front edge and with 2 parallel dark brown transverse bands where the outer reaches the leading edge and it is distinguished from the rather similar Aethes francillana and A. beatricella by the inner cross band finishing half-way across the wing from the dorsum and not reaching the costa.

Whitish yellow to yellowish brown, head shining black, prothoracic plate light brown with a pair of dark brown spots, pinacula concolorous with body.

The eggs are deposited singly on the flowers and seeds of the foodplant. The larva lives in the seeds. It spins several seeds together and empties their content. When full-fed it descends downwards the stem and bores into the stem, then moving upwards until a node is reached. It hibernated in this place. In late spring the larva gnaws a passage in the stem, leaving only a very thin skin, and then pupates inside the stem.
The adults fly in late afternoon about the foodplant. It rarely comes to light.

Oligophagous on Apiaceae, but mainly on Pastinaca sativa.

It inhabits grassland in limestone areas.