Local in woodland throughout much of the British Isles, although distribution poorly known owing to previous confusion with S. ruficapitella. First recorded in Hampshire in 1983 at Botley Wood, since when found to be sparsely distributed across much of south Hampshire, but remains very rare in north Hampshire and on the Isle of Wight. Wingspan 6-7 mm. Very similar to S. ruficapitella and S. roborella, from which separable only by dissection of the genitalia; more frequently recorded in the larval stage, when mines can be reasonably common in the leaves of Pedunculate Oak.
Flightime guide |
Stage | J | F | M |
A | M | J |
J | A | S |
O | N | D |
Adult |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
Larval |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
|
|