Coleophoridae

37.043 Thyme Case-bearer Coleophora niveicostella Zeller, 1839

pRDB3

Similar species:

Forewing: 5 to 6mm

Habitats: Downland and coastal slopes.

Habits: The moth can be swept from the foodplant.

Foodplant: The larva mines from under the leaves of thymes. To form the composite case the larva cuts off mined leaves, leaving only an upper and a lower epidermis with a stub of petiole. These are placed in front of the case, stub dorsally and pointing forwards, to form a low dorsal keel. This construction is hidden by large amounts of silk. The final sheath case is slender, tubular at the front, strongly laterally compressed at the rear and brownish black. The bivalved case is 7 to 8 mm long, m.o. at a 30° angle. It pupates amongst the foodplant.

On the European mainland it has been recorded feeding on Wild Thyme, Breckland Thyme and Large Thyme.