The wingspan is 14–16 mm.[2] Forewings very variable in ground colour - dark fuscous, shades of brown and grey to cream (coastal form), dark shining bronzy base of costa purplish-tinged. Variously showing the ‘bryotropha’ spots, a sub-terminal fascia and spots around the wing tip or unicolorous. Hindwings grey. Certain identification is by miscroscopic examination of the genitalia.[3][4][5]
The moths are on wing from May to August depending on the location.
^Karsholt, Ole & Twan Rutten, 2005, the genus Bryotropha Heinemann in the western palaearctic (Lepidoptera: Gelechiidae), Tijdschrift voor Entomologie148: 77-207. Abstract and full article: [1]
^Langmaid, J. R., Palmer, S. M. & Young, M. R. [eds]. 2018 A Field Guide to the Smaller Moths of Great Britain and Ireland [3rd ed.]Reading, Berkshire. British Entomological and Natural History Society