4 species of fairly large to large brightly coloured moths which fly actively in sunshine and often can be found nectaring on flowers. The two Foresters are metallic green moths and the two Burnets are striking red and blackish green insects.

They are aposematic meaning they are deliberately conspicuous containing protective toxins in all their life stages which are derived from their food plants. Pupation takes place in a cocoon, conspicuously attached to tall grass stems in our two species of Burnets. They occur in colonies in open unimproved grassland, marshland and moorland habitats.