Wingspan 12 to 16 mm. E. abbreviana varies greatly in the strength of its markings and darkness of colour.

Wherever Elms occur on lowland sites. During daylight, it often sits exposed on foliage or trunks.

It flies in June and July at dusk and night

In April, the early instar larva eats through an Elm bud. When the bud opens it reveals a highly distinctive arc of holes caused by the larva but by this time the larva has moved to a spinning made with another Elm leaf. Pupation occurs in late May or early June. Field Maple is also eaten.

Fairly frequent throughout the British Isles. In the Butterfly Conservation’s Microlepidoptera Report 2011 this species was classified as common.

Occasional in Leicestershire and Rutland. L&R Moth Group status = C (very scarce resident or rare migrant)