Coleophoridae

37.042 Broom Case-bearer Coleophora saturatella Stainton, 1850

pRDB3

Similar species:

Forewing: 5.5 to 7mm

Habitats: Open woodland, heathland and scrub.

Habits:

Foodplant: The larva mines the leaves of Broom and Dyer's Greenweed. It overwinters in a tiny composite case of leaf fragments. In the spring when it recommences feeding, it cuts large pieces of leaf to add to its broad herringbone style case. The final case is an untidy, bivalved case of 7 to 8mm, m.o. at a 90° angle. The larva is full fed by early June. It pupates high on a stem of the fooplant, in the sunshine.

On the European mainland it has also been recorded feeding on Black Broom, Spanish Broom and Common Gorse.