Male Rapala pheretima has dark reddish brown side wings and the female is dull blue. The underside of the wing is pale brown in color, has a white brown post-discal band on the outer side. The forewings have spots in the center of the forewing cells, the hind wings have marginal black spots in space 2 and tornal lobes, between these spots in the marginal area of space 1b are covered by a bluish color. This species has a white tipped tail at the end of the 2nd vein.
Larva: Rapala pheretima larvae are yellowish green in color with oblique dorso-lateral spots with white stripes. It has a conical protrusion with setae in the dorso-lateral area.
Pupa: The pupa of Rapala pheretima is reddish brown in color with small black spots, is typical of lycaenids with a short abdomen.