A rare but increasing immigrant from continental Europe (a local species with a wide distribution from France eastwards across Russia), which first appeared on Jersey in 1981. First recorded in mainland Britain in Somerset in July 2009, and the first record in our area was of one in Southsea, Hampshire in July 2010. Breeding was confirmed in Kent in 2017, and it is now known to be resident in at least three broad localities in that county, particularly in the Folkestone/Hythe area. With multiple individuals reported from the Osborne area of the Isle of Wight in 2022, a local colony must now be established in our area, and there is no reason to suspect that the range of this species will not increase.
Wingspan 20-23mm. Difficult to mistake with any other species. The larval foodplant is Populus sp.