The wingspan is 38–50 millimetres (1.5–2.0 in). Adults are on wing from April to September in most of the range and from July to September in Quebec. There are two generations per year in the south and one or two in the North.
The larvae feed on the leaves of corn, dock, lambs-quarter, Chenopodium, grape, plantain, Opuntia, smartweed and sunflower.
This species was formerly a member of the genus Grammia, but was moved to Apantesis along with the other species of the genera Grammia, Holarctia, and Notarctia.[1][2]