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Adults are 2-3mm, dorsally flat, elongate oval, black with a bright blue lustre and have enlarged hind femurs. The luster allows distinction from another brassicaceous crop pest, Psylliodes punctulata: these have a bronze luster.

One generation per year. Two generations per year possible in portions of range. Adults overwinter in soil, turf or leaf near shelterbelts, hedges and fencerows. These emerge in spring to feed on foliage. In spring, 1-4 eggs are deposited near the bases of host plants. Eggs are about 0.4mm long by 0.2 mm wide, oval and light yellow. Mature larvae are approximately 3mm, white to very light brown with a copper-brown head and anal plate and are slender with small legs. Larvae feed on roots and root hairs and pupate in soil. These emerge as adults late summer (Burgess 1977).

Native to Eurasia, it can be found from England to North Africa in the West and Russia to India in the East and is common in oilseed production areas. Occurs across North America from British Columbia to Oregon in the west and from Newfoundland to Delaware in the east (Bousquet 1991, Anonymous 1982).