This moth, despite its relatively large size (fore wing length 13-15mm), is one of the micro-moths in the family Crambidae. Originally found around the Mediterranean region, the caterpillars are usually found on olives and it can be a serious pest in young olive plantations. The movement of olive plants around the world is thought to have contributed to its current, more or less, worldwide distribution.There can be two or three generations per year and adults from the later generations are known migrants and this will also have helped the spread of the species. The caterpillars can feed on other plants such as Jasmine, Privet and Forsythia.
In the UK most records are from the south of England and Wales and are usually recorded in September and October. The number of records seems to have increased in the last few decades and this may be a consequence of a northwards shift of the population in Europe due to global warming. In Scotland there have been just three records previous to the one found on South Uist on the 26 October 2024, a new species record for the Outer Hebrides.

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