It is found throughout continental Europe and in southern Scandinavia.

In Britain it is rare and has protected status, being possibly confined to a single site on the Isle of Wight.

[3] Its forewings are brownish grey frosted with paler dusting; the inner and outer lines dark, the inner outwardly curved; the outer waved and dentate, indented above and below middle, the teeth forming a second line beyond the first; stigmata pale, very obscure; a pale waved submarginal line inwardly shaded with brown; hindwing silky grey, darker towards termen; — the form aquatilis Guen., from Asia, is paler, the forewing yellowish grey.

Larva sap green with the segmental incisions yellow; the lines white, slender.

[4] The wingspan is 23–30 mm: females are smaller than males.