It is distributed wherever the foodplant occurs around the coasts of Europe, including the Faroes, Iceland and St Kilda.

The forewings are elongate, narrow, ochreous or pale greyish-ochreous, sometimes rosy tinged and faintly striated.

[1] Adults are on wing from late-May to October and there are two generations per year which fly in late afternoon sun and come to light.

The first generation larvae feed on unripe seeds in the flowerheads or in young shoots, spinning a silken tube among the leaves.

[3] The light olive-brown pupa can be found in a strong, white silken cocoon in a flowerhead or among the leaves of the foodplant.