Wingspan14 to16mm. A long bodied chestnut brown moth. Like other Caloptilia species, it rests with a distinctive posture, the front part of the body raised high on the forelegs.

The larva mines the leaves of Alder, initially in an inconspicuous upper surface gallery.  This lead to a silvery blotch over a vein, whch causes the leaf to contract. The larva then leaves the mine to feed in a folded and rolled leaf edge.  The larva is whitish with some dark markings but without any clear distinguishing features.  Pupation is in a transparent, shining cocoon attached to the leaf underside

Other moth species feed inside rolled or folded leaves; before recording a leaf-fold, the larva should be checked.

Adult Leafmine leaf-fold

Photograph the mine or the leaf-fold and larva; note the host species

Where Alder is present.

This moth has two generations, with adults flying in June and again during September, after which they hibernate and reappear in spring.

Widespread and fairly frequent in some parts of Britain. 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).

http://www.leafmines.co.uk/html/Lepidoptera/C.elongella.htm

https://bladmineerders.nl/parasites/animalia/arthropoda/insecta/lepidoptera/ditrysia/gracillarioidea/gracillariidae/gracillariinae/caloptilia/caloptilia-elongella/