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A medium-small moth (2.0 - 2.6 cm wingspan) with broad wings. Forewings with a small dark basal patch followed by a light brown band and a paler brown antemedian line. Median band dark brown or dark red-brown, twice as wide at costa as at lower margin, strongly toothed on the outer edge midway, and upper half usually divided by a paler brown insert containing a small dark discal dot. Postmedian area light grey or tan, almost white; shading to brown along the outer margin, and with a irregular dark patch on the costa and a larger poorly defined dark patch in the upper half of the outer margin. Hindwings grey-brown crossed by diffuse wavy lines and bands. Male antennae bifasiculate; female simple. Similar to Euphyia intermedia which is blackish, not brown, and has white distal to the median band, not light tan.

Adults are nocturnal and come to light. In Alberta adults are present from late April through mid August in two broods, the first peaking in mid May, the second in late July to mid August. A wide and unusual variety of hosts are reported, including birches, blackberry and other Rubus sp., hawthorns, impatiens, willows, and larch (Covell 1984; Handfield 1999).

Found throughout much of the wooded parts of North America. In Alberta widespread in the southern boreal forest and the edge of the aspen parklands, less common further north and rare or absent in the grasslands and mountains. Found in open wooded areas, edges and clearings.