Coleophoridae

37.057 Scarce Saltern Case-bearer Coleophora vibicigerella Zeller, 1839

pRDB1

Similar species:

Forewing: 5 to 6.5mm

Habitats: Salt-marsh, preferring the smaller plants on sea-walls.

Habits: The moth has not been recorded since 1980.

Foodplant: The larva feeds on the leaves of Sea Wormwood. The larva mines the leaves until it overwinters attached to the stem of its foodplant. It resumes feeding in May when it mines from below the leaf. The final, slightly curved, black silk case is strongly compressed laterally and narrowed at the rear, with a strong ventral keel. The two-valved case, is 10mm long, m.o. at a 0° angle. It pupates attached to the foodplant.

On the European mainland it has also been recorded feeding on Field Wormwood and Yarrow.