Coleophoridae

37.073 Common Rush Case-bearer Coleophora alticolella Zeller, 1849

Common

Similar species:

Forewing: 5 to 5.5mm

Habitats: Damp woodland rides, damp meadows, marshes, fens and other sites where the foodplants are present.

Habits: The moth is easily disturbed in the day. It flies at sunrise, in the evening and later comes to light.

Foodplant: The larva feeds on the developing seeds within a seed-capsule of Heath Rush, Soft-rush and sometimes Hard Rush, Jointed Rush, Compact Rush, Sharp Rush, Round-fruited Rush, Sea Rush and Salt-marsh Rush. At the end of its third instar the larva constructs a short, tubular, white silk case with adhering seed debris and feeds externally on the seed in the opened seed-capsules. The full sized larval case is identical to that of Coleophora glaucicolella (5 to 6mm long, m.o. at a 0° to 10° angle). From October the larva mostly overwinter full-fed in the leaf litter, but some feed again; either on the seed-heads or in the leaf litter and sometimes on the seed-heads of Field Wood-rush. Pupation takes place in May, attached to a stem.