Nationally scarce (Na) in woodland and scrub in parts of south-eastern England. In Hampshire very rare in the county, having been reported in the past from Botley Wood, and more recently from Hurn in 2000, St Catherine's Hill in 2003 and Magdalen Hill Down in 2008. Not recorded from the Isle of Wight to date. Wingspan 10-13 mm. Differs from
P. regiana in having the medio-dorsal blotch of the forewing pale yellow and subquadrate, its outer edge nearly straight to dorsum near the tornus, and the costal strigulae interspersed with thick wedges of pale yellow ground colour [Bradley]. Larva feeds within seeds of Field Maple, over-wintering as a pupa in a cocoon.