Common in woodland, heathland, scrub, gardens and orchards throughout the British Isles. In Hampshire the rather less common of the two
Operophtera species, now found chiefly in birch woodland, having disappeared from many localities since the 1950s. Not recorded from the Isle of Wight to date. Wingspan 32-40 mm. For a comparison of this species and the closely related
Winter Moth O. brumata, click
here. Larva feeds on Silver Birch, Downy Birch, Alder, Beech and Apple.