Wingspan 18 to 44 mm. This species is sexually dimorphic but both sexes are somewhat variable. Males have a creamy white head, thorax and forewing proximal to the antemedian line. Females  have two black discal spots between the antemedian (first) and postmedian (second) lines, the more distal being the larger.

Common around bee and wasp nests and beehives throughout Britain.

June to August.

Larva feeds on the debris in and the contents of wasp and bee nests.

Fairly common over much of Britain. In the Butterfly Conservation’s Microlepidoptera Report 2011 this species was classified as common.

Quite common in Leicestershire and Rutland. L&R Moth Group status = A (common and resident)