Nationally scarce (Nb) in waste ground, downland and roadside verges throughout much of south-eastern England, with records north to Yorkshire. Very local in Hampshire and on the Isle of Wight, surprisingly so given the widespread nature of the foodplant, but it can be relatively common where this occurs, notably so in the Portsmouth area. Wingspan 7-8 mm. Most records are of the larval mines in the leaves of Mugwort in autumn, over-wintering as a pupa in a cocoon.