Fall generation larvae mine the rosette root crown, but not the roots. When short of food, larvae crawl to nearby plants. The small central leaves of attacked rosettes stop growing and have a small amount of black faeces at their base. The summer generation pupates on the plant and the fall generation in the soil in the following spring. The spring-pupating generation emerges in May to June and the second in July to August.
Moths are active overnight and can be light trapped.
During the day they rest on their host plant. Spread 15 km in 5 years in Nova Scotia. Two generations in Canada, but up to seven in southern Europe. Occurs from North Africa to southern Sweden and east to Poland and southern Russia. It is most abundant in coastal western Europe.