Wingspan 4 to 5 mm. The adults are narrow-winged with bronzy forewings which have a broad silvery fascia, and are purplish-tinged outside this.

The mine Hawthorn leaves, creating a gallery which begins narrowly with black linear frass. The mine then widens, and the frass is laid in distinct arcs, finally becoming irregular and central near the end.  The larva is bright green with a greenish head.

The leaf mines on Hawthorn are very similar to Stigmella oxyacanthella, but occur earlier in the year

Adult leafmine

Check the appearance of the larva and the timing of fresh tenanted mines; S oxyacanthella is later in the year.  Old vacated mines cannot be determined.

Areas where Hawthorn is present.

It has a single generation. The adults are on the wing in May and June.

The larvae mine the leaves of Hawthorn (Crataegus), creating a gallery which begins narrowly with linear frass. The mine then widens, and the frass is laid in distinct arcs, finally becoming irregular and central near the end. Larvae feed from June till August.

A common species throughout the British Isles. 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).