The lily caterpillar is black with yellow and pale grey or whitish stripes running along the length of the body. There are two black spots like eyes near the rear, and a dark band about a quarter way down the body. The eye is reddish brown. The yellow stripe is bolder on mature caterpillars. The adult moth is reddish brown and cream. Lily caterpillars are a significant horticultural pest of plants in the lily family such as clivias, amaryllis, hymenocallis and crinums. They feed at night on the leaves and also damage the leaf sheath at the base of the plant. This damage often kills the plant.