A common species throughout Belgium, preferring wet habitats.

The larva lives on Phragmites australis and on various grasses like Dactylis glomerata and Calamagrostis epigejos. Hibernates as a young larva and pupates in a papery cocoon.

The adults fly in one generation a year; from mid June till late August. Very rarely, a partial second generation occurs from September till early October. They come to light, males more frequently than females.