Amata phegea reaches a wingspan of 35–40 millimetres (1.4–1.6 in).
Males are smaller than females and have thicker antennae.
Wings are blueish black or greenish black with white spots and metallic sheen.
The number and the size of spots are quite variable.
Usually there are six white spots on the forewings and two or three spots on the hindwings.
The body is quite long, with a yellow spot on the second segment of the abdomen.
A further feature is the prominent yellow ring at the sixth segment of the abdomen.
The black thread-like antennae have white tips.
The caterpillars can reach a length of about 5 centimetres (2.0 in).
They are gray black with thick dark brown, fluffy hairs that grow from small growths.
The head is reddish brown.

Similar-looking moths include Amata ragazzii (Turati, 1917) and Zygaena ephialtes (Linnaeus, 1758).
Z. ephialtes is in the family Zygaenidae and is unpalatable to birds.
The nine-spotted moth imitates its appearance (Müllerian mimicry).
Both moths are an example of aposematism.
Amata phegea reaches a wingspan of 35–40 millimetres (1.4–1.6 in). Males are smaller than females and have thicker antennae. Wings are blueish black or greenish black with white spots and metallic sheen. The number and the size of spots are quite variable. Usually there are six white spots on the forewings and two or three spots on the hindwings. The body is quite long, with a yellow spot on the second segment of the abdomen. A further feature is the prominent yellow ring at the sixth segment of the abdomen. The black thread-like antennae have white tips. The caterpillars can reach a length of about 5 centimetres (2.0 in). They are gray black with thick dark brown, fluffy hairs that grow from small growths. The head is reddish brown.
Similar-looking moths include Amata ragazzii (Turati, 1917) and Zygaena ephialtes (Linnaeus, 1758). Z. ephialtes is in the family Zygaenidae and is unpalatable to birds. The nine-spotted moth imitates its appearance (Müllerian mimicry). Both moths are an example of aposematism.
Nine-spotted moth