In Great Britain the moth is a priority species in the United Kingdom Biodiversity Action Plan.

[5] The moth is found from Great Britain to Ukraine but is absent in some countries, including the Netherlands, Portugal and Spain.

[3][5] The moth was found in Wales for the first time in 2019 with leaf mines and a larva at Magor Marsh (Welsh: Cors Magwyr), a Gwent Wildlife Trust nature reserve.

[6] It is rare and mostly confined to mature apple (Malus spp) orchards in southern England and the south Midlands.

Mistletoe on hawthorn (Crataegus spp) is the next preferred host tree and it has also been found on pear (Pyrus communis), crack willow (Salix fragilis) and rowan (Sorbus aucuparia) which has been planted.