Coleophoridae

37.044 Lotus Case-bearer Coleophora discordella Zeller, 1849

Common

Similar species:

Forewing: 5 to 6mm

Habitats: Downland, marshes, fens, dry or damp grassland and other sites where the foodplants are present.

Habits:

Foodplant: The larva mines the leaves of Bird's-foot Trefoil and Greater Bird's-foot Trefoil. It first makes a winding gallery mine with a central line of frass. This runs to the edge of a leaf where it becomes an oval blotch. The larva cuts out part of the blotch to make its first case, from where it blotch mines the leaves, causing them to shrivel. It overwinters as a small cased larva. In the spring the larva gradually adds broad transverse sections of leaf to the mouth of the case as it grows. The blotches on the leaves are conspicuous in March and April. The final case is ringed black-brown, flattened and strongly curved at the rear end. It is 6mm long, m.o. at a 40° angle. It pupates low down.

On the European mainland it has also been recorded feeding on Narrow-leaved Bird's-foot-trefoil.