Wingspan about 8mm. although well marked, the moth is very similar in appearance to other Leucoptera species. It is probably more easily recorded from the larval leafmines on the leaves of Hawthorn, Apple and Whitebeam.

Adult Leafmine

Various habitats, especially where the larval foodplants are present.

The adult moths fly in June and July.

The larva of the Pear Leaf Blister Moth (Leucoptera malifoliella) makes a distinctive round blotch leafmine in a leaf of Apple, Hawthorn or Pear with a spiral frass pattern in concentric rings, sometimes several mines in one leaf. Occupied mines can be found in August and September.

Although distributed throughout England and into Southern Scotland, this species can be rather erratic in its occurrence and can be quite a difficult species to track down. In some years there is a population explosion when it appears commonly, but in between can be quite uncommon. In the Butterfly Conservation's Microlepidoptera Report 2011 this species was classified as common.

It appears to be uncommon in Leicestershire and Rutland, where there are few records. L&R Moth Group status = D (rare or rarely recorded).

http://www.leafmines.co.uk/html/Lepidoptera/L.malifoliella.htm

https://bladmineerders.nl/parasites/animalia/arthropoda/insecta/lepidoptera/ditrysia/yponomeutoidea/lyonetiidae/leucoptera/leucoptera-malifoliella/#:~:text=pear%2Dleaf%20blister%20moth&text=Oviposition%20is%20at%20the%20leaf,trace%20of%20a%20preceding%20corridor.