Coleophoridae

37.108 Glasswort Case-bearer Coleophora salicorniae Heinemann & Wocke, [1876]

Notable B

Similar species:

Forewing: 5.5 to 6.5mm

Habitats: Salt-marshes in well drained bare areas, with small plants.

Habits: The moth comes to light.

Foodplant: The larva feeds internally on the seeds and fleshy spikes of Yellow Glasswort, Purple Glasswort and other glassworts. In its last instar it cuts off a piece of a spike and attaches it to another spike and feeds from there, but exuding sawdust-like frass from what otherwise looked like a joint. The few days when it feeds like this (second week in October) is the only time the larva is likely to be found. Soon after this it drops down to the mud, burrowing in an inch or so and making a silk case that just reaches the surface. At the bottom of the tube it overwinters full-fed in a parchment-like cocoon. It pupates in the cocoon in June.