Similar in appearance to the lunar hornet moth it can be distinguished by the yellow patches on the head and shoulder and a black collar. The adults can be found resting on poplar trunks after they have emerged in June.

They overwinter at least twice as larvae for the first and sometimes second winter and as fully grown larvae in cocoons for the second or third winter. They mainly feed on the wood just below the bark surface near ground level and emerge from a hole near the base of the trunk.