Forewing greyish with a row of tiny, whitish, inconspicuous striae along the costa; some dark brown spots near the inner margin. They resemble other species of Parornix, but do show distinctive white palps and frons.
Without the knowledge of the larval hostplant, Parornix species are very difficult to identify; their genitalia should be studied.

Greyish yellow, light brownish intestine tract visible; prothoracic segment with four blackish spots, the inner two larger than the two outer two.

The first instar makes a narrow, short gallery on the underside of the leaf. Following instars also consume the parenchyma thus turning the mine into a blotch which later turns brownish.
See also gracillariidae.net and bladmineerders.be.

The free living instars spin a leaf margin or tip downwards into a flat fold or a cone-like fold and consume the parenchyma with that fold which turns greyish brown to brown. In rarer cases they construct a spinning in the center of the leaf at the underside.
They pupate within the fold, and hibernate in the leaf among leaf litter on the ground.
The adults rest between foliage during day time but become active towards dusk and at night. They come to light.

The larvae feed mainly on Sorbus aucuparia and occasionally on Cotoneaster, Malus and other species of Sorbus.