Female: A smallish to mid-sized dark species with conspicuous pale markings and banded legs; proboscis with median white band; scutum with narrow dark scales and with silvery (sometimes golden) scales forming conspicuous 'lyre' shaped pattern of curved laterals, a long central and short sub-lateral lines; wings all dark scaled; hind leg femur and tibia with pale stripe, tarsi banded and last segment may be all white; abdominal tergites dark with basal patches or constricted bands separated from lateral patches, sternites mostly pale scaled from base but terminal segments may be predominantly dark.

Adult females may be confused with Ae. aegypti and Ae. mallochi because of similar scutal pattern but those species have no band on proboscis.

Adults readily attack humans by day in shaded areas but also feed during evening, night and early morning.

This species is arguably the major domestic pest species; it has been incriminated as an important vector of dog heartworm, has been shown to be able to carry Murray Valley encephalitis, and transmit Ross River and Barmah Forest viruses in laboratory studies. Any role as a vector of arboviruses remains unknown.