Psychidae

11.016 Lesser Heath Bagworm Acanthopsyche atra (Linnaeus, 1767)

pRDB3

Similar species:

Forewing: M 8 to 10mm, F wingless and worm-like

Habitats: Heathland and acid grassland.

Habits: The male flies in the afternoon or evening and comes to light.

Foodplant: The larva is rarely seen as it feeds on grasses and willows and rests low down on the vegetation or posts. The case consists of sections of grass stem fixed longitudinally or of Heather leaves. The larva sometimes overwinters twice before pupating in April. It pupates in the case attached low down to Heather, posts or trunks. On emergence the male pupal case is left half exposed from the larval case, while the females pupal case is retained within the larval case.