The species' eggs are laid singly but a considerable number may be deposited on the upper surface of one leaf.

This species was first described by Morris Netterville Watt in 1921 using specimens collected in Dunedin and named Nepticula fulva.

[3] George Hudson illustrated and discussed this species under this name in his book The butterflies and moths of New Zealand.

[5] Hans Donner and Christopher Wilkinson agreed with this placement in their monograph on New Zealand Nepticulidae.

In shape oval, wafer-like, domed above; a narrow flattened and somewhat ragged fringe surrounds the foot.

Head pale greyish-brown; darker reddish-brown sutural lines; almost acutely triangular in shape; retractile.

Head and prothorax light yellowish-brown; antennae under 1 and over 1⁄2 dark brown; abdomen ash grey; legs light- brownish.

Thorax and forewings pale-whitish densely irrorated with darker brown scales; a small irregular black spot in wing near dorsum at 1⁄4, another in centre a little beyond 1⁄4, a third in centre of wing near termen; the central spot is the most constant.

In the male the brown scales in ‘the forewings are largely replaced by darker grey ones, and the central spots, though still present, are not so prominent.

Some ova may be found laid on entirely dead portions of the leaf, over long-disused mines, and even sometimes upon or overlapping one another, when the larvae must perish.

The egg is strongly attached to the surface of the leaf, and persists for a considerable time even after the mine has been vacated.