Coleophoridae

37.096 Small Streaked Case-bearer Coleophora gardesanella Toll, 1953

Notable A

Similar species: Coleophora trochilella

Forewing: 4.5 to 5.5mm

Habitats: Sea-walls and drier parts of salt-marsh. Damp woodland rides, damp meadows and marshes. Coastal downland and grassy slopes, sheltered verges and wasteground.

Habits: The moth flies in afternoon sunshine. It also comes to light.

Foodplant: The larva mines the leaves of Sea Wormwood, Mugwort, Sneezewort, Yarrow, Tansy or Ox-eye Daisy. The larva overwinters in a small case. In the spring it resumes feeding on the lower leaf surface of the leaves. On Sea Wormwood and Mugwort it produces blotch mines on the lower leaves, while on Yarrow the whole leaves may become brown. It can be abundant on Sea Wormwood in April. The ochreous cased Yarrow feeding larvae are full-fed by mid-June. The grey cased wormwood feeders by early July. In both cases (ochreous or grey) there is a darker dorsal patch near the front of the case, and there are lengthway stripes caused by the silk expansion gussets made by the growing larva. The trivalved case has a distinct neck and is 7 to 9mm long, m.o. at a 45° angle. Pupation takes place attached to a stem or adjacent foliage.