Coleophoridae

37.060 Large Buff Case-bearer Coleophora ochrea (Haworth, 1828)

pRDB2

Similar species:

Forewing: 7 to 9mm

Habitats: Calcareous downland, coastal cliffs and slopes.

Habits: The moth appears to be nocturnal.

Foodplant: The larva mines the leaves of Common Rock-rose. The young larva makes a blotch mine and cuts a case from this. It then makes a number of large blotch mines on the under surface of a leaf. After overwintering it makes more blotch mines and extends its case with diagonally placed leaf fragments two or three times. The final light brown, bivalved, composite case consists of three leaf fragments and is 10 to 15mm long, m.o. at a 45° angle. It pupates attached to the foodplant.

On the European mainland it has also been recorded feeding on White Rock-rose and Spotted Rock-rose.