Nationally scarce (Nb) in open grassland, damp meadows and field edges throughout much of Britain, but not in south-west England, north-western Scotland or southern Wales. In Hampshire and on the Isle of Wight recorded in recent years only from Portsmouth in the south and Greywell in the north. Wingspan 18-22 mm. Differs from
D. douglasella and
D. pulcherrimella by the slightly glossy, less heavily marked forewing and the darker head, thorax and tegulae (MBGBI Vol 4 part 1). Larva feeds on Cow Parsley, Rough Chervil, Hemlock and Hogweed, living between leaves spun together with silk.