Wingspan 18 to 22 mm. The whitish wings are usually slightly indented and often show tufts. They are often marked with small amounts of reddish brown.

Areas containing birch.

The adults generally emerge from September and overwinter, being found through to April.

The larvae feed between spun leaves of birch.

Formerly only known from the birch woods of the Scottish Highlands, this species has now been found several times in the south of England. It is possible that these records are the result of migrants and the species is now becoming established in the south. In the Butterfly Conservation’s Microlepidoptera Report 2011 this species was classified as local.

Rare in Leicestershire and Rutland. The Sapcote record of 13.3.2011 is the first for VC55. L&R Moth Group status = D (rare or rarely recorded).