It is similar to the western pine elfin but has two dark bars instead of one in the forewing underside cell with strong patterning on the underside. The wingspan ranges from.
There is one flight from March to April in the south, while it occurs between mid-May and early June in the north. Females will lay eggs singly on flower buds. The caterpillars eat both the flower and the developing seedpods. Chrysalids hibernate in loosely formed cocoons beneath litter below the plant. Larvalfoods include jack pine and white pine.