Coleophoridae

37.077 Toad Rush Case-bearer Coleophora lassella Staudinger, 1859

Notable B

Similar species:

Forewing: 5 to 5.5mm

Habitats: Woodland rides, green lanes and other sites such as the edge of ponds, where there is muddy bare ground and the foodplant is present.

Habits: The moth comes to light.

Foodplant: The larva initially feeds on developing seeds within a seed-capsule of Toad Rush. The case is formed from an emptied seed-capsule. The second and final case is either made from the first or from a second capsule, it is lined with pale brown silk and extended at the rear of the seed-capsule with decoration of chewed seed fragments and a white silk tip. At the forward end there is a short silk neck. The larva continues feeding on seeds from this case by attaching itself to the end of a succession of seed-capsules. The final trivalved case is 4 to 5mm long (to the rear tip of the inner silk, the tepals may extend past this), m.o. at a 20° to 30° angle. The larva is full-fed by late September and overwinters (sometimes twice) attached to something solid. The site of pupation in late April is unknown.

There is a theory that the moth might be double-brooded in hot summers.