The wingspan is 35–45mm; the dark brown forewings being marked with dark-centred white stigmata which do look rather like the number 80. The hindwings are grey. The species flies from May to July and is attracted to light and sugar.
The grey and white larva feeds on poplar and aspen. The species overwinters as a pupa.
Subspecies
Tethea ocularis ocularis
Tethea ocularis ocularis amurensis (Warren, 1912) (Russian Far East, north-eastern and northern China, Mongolia, Korea)