Local in gardens, orchards and hedgerows throughout much of southern England, southern Wales and southern Ireland. In Hampshire and on the Isle of Wight fairly widespread and not uncommon in gardens where there are plum trees, but apparently largely absent from the New Forest, and on the Island confined to the extreme west. Wingspan 10-15 mm. Similar to
G. molesta but generally larger; distinguished from
G. tenebrosana by the darker, greyish fuscous labial palpi and frons and the whitish irroration in the distal and medio-dorsal areas of the forewing [Bradley]. Larva feeds within fruit of Plum, Blackthorn, Wild Cherry and similar, over-wintering in a cocoon.