Wingspan 13 to 18 mm. A blackish moth with a rather ‘scratchy’ appearance.

Most likely to be encountered where the larval foodplants occur.

Adult moths fly in June and July and can be attracted to light.

The larvae feed in May and June between two spun leaves of Aspen, White Poplar or Grey Poplar.

A rather scarce and local species, with a distribution mainly in the south-eastern half of England, ranging northwards to Yorkshire. In the Butterfly Conservation's Microlepidoptera Report 2011 this species was classified as Nationally Scarce A.

Rare in Leicestershire and Rutland. The Sapcote record of 3rd July 2017 is the first record of this species in VC55. L&R Moth Group status = D (rare or rarely recorded).