The wingspan is 60–80 mm. There are two forms, f. salmonea does not have the red color on the hind wing, f. flava is black and has yellow hind wings. In the French Alps, the natural hybrid with Hyles hippophaes is found.
Male dorsal
Male ventral
Female dorsal
Female ventral
Biology
Adults are on wing from May to June and from August to September in a partial second generation in most of the range. On high altitudes in central Europe and Bulgaria, there is only one generation from June to July.