They pupate within rolled over leaves. The life cycle is completed in about 40 days, and seven or eight generations can occur annually. Caterpillars also injure aster, celery, chrysanthemums, cineraria, ivy, rose, snapdragons, sweet pea and other soft-leaved plants. Adults lay hemispherical whitish eggs on host plant leaves. There are three or more generations annually.
Caterpillars have chewing mouthparts.
Adults have siphoning mouths. Caterpillars feed on Canna species. They feed inside the rolled leaves through much of their development. Leaves become tattered and often malformed as terminal growth becomes tangles in rolled leaves. Adults are active, powerful flyers, and sip nectar from a many types of flowers.