Leaf-miner
and case-bearer: The larvae of this species feed on oak, forming
a pear-shaped silken case, initially on the underside of a leaf,
moving its case to an angle of twigs to over-winter (UKMoths).
First case formed of silk, larva mining leaves. Feeding in spring
in a new case on catkins and also mining leaves. Very similar to
case of C. flavipennella (British
leafminers).
Light
brown, trivalved, tubular silken case of c. 7 mm; mouth angle c.
45°. Immediately after eclosion the larva begins the construction
of its case, that entirely consists of silk (Bladmineerders van Europa).
Larva: The larvae of moths have a head capsule and chewing mouthparts with opposable mandibles (see video of a gracillarid larva feeding), six thoracic legs and abdominal legs (see examples).
The larva is illustrated in Bladmineerders van Europa.
Pupa: The pupae of moths have visible head appendages, wings and legs which lie in sheaths (see examples).
Distinguishing between the final cases of Coleophora flavipennella and Coleophora lutipennella on Oak (Quercus) is not possible but progress was made by Brian Goodey with their winter cases (Goodey, B., 1992. Ent. Rec. 104: p169-171). His findings were that the winter cases of these two Coleophora spp. could be distinguished by examining the anal end of the case. Coleophora flavipennella has a patch of leaf tissue incorporated into the case, seen as a raised area, whereas in Coleophora lutipennella this raised area does not exist (British
leafminers Newsletter).
Adult:
The adult is illustrated in UKMoths by Rob Edmunds.
The species is included in mothdissection.co.uk.
Hosts in Great Britain and Ireland:
Hosts
elsewhere:
Time
of year - larvae: Late September to late October, then April
to early June (British
leafminers).
Time
of year - adults: The adult moths emerge in a single generation
in July and August, and are attracted to light, often flying some
distance from the host plant (UKMoths).
Distribution
in Great Britain and Ireland: The moth is thought to be common
in England, Wales and southern Scotland (UKMoths)
including Bedfordshire, Breconshire, Caernarvonshire, Cambridgeshire,
Cardiganshire, Cheshire, Denbighshire, Derbyshire, East Cornwall,
East Kent, East Suffolk, Flintshire, Glamorgan, Herefordshire, Hertfordshire,
Huntingdonshire, Merionethshire, Middlesex, North Essex, North Hampshire,
North Somerset, North Wiltshire, Shropshire, South Hampshire, South Lancashire, South Wiltshire, Stafford, Surrey, Warwickshire, West Kent, West Lancashire, West Norfolk, West Suffolk, Westmorland and
Worcestershire (NBN
Atlas).
Also
recorded in the Republic of Ireland (Fauna Europaea).
Distribution
elsewhere: Widespread in continental Europe including Albania,
Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Croatia, Czech Republic, Danish mainland,
Estonia, Finland, French mainland, Germany, Greek mainland, Hungary,
Italian mainland, Latvia, Lithuania, Macedonia, Norwegian mainland,
Poland, Portuguese mainland, Romania, Russia - Central, Slovakia,
Slovenia, Spanish mainland, Sweden, Switzerland and The Netherlands.
Also recorded in Near East (Fauna Europaea).
NBN Atlas links to known host species:
British and Irish Parasitoids in Britain and elsewhere:
Chalcidoidea |
|
Copidosoma peticus (Walker, 1846) |
Encyrtidae: Encyrtinae |
Chrysocharis laricinellae (Ratzeburg, 1848) |
Eulophidae: Entedoninae |
Closterocerus
trifasciatus Westwood, 1833 |
Eulophidae: Entedoninae |
Miotropis unipuncta (Nees, 1834) |
Eulophidae: Eulophinae |
Ichneumonoidea - Links to species no longer available |
|
Agathis breviseta Nees, 1812 |
Braconidae: Agathidinae |
Therophilus mediator (Nees, 1814) |
Braconidae: Agathidinae |
Bracon guttiger (Wesmael, 1838) |
Braconidae: Braconinae |
Bracon osculator Nees, 1811 |
Braconidae: Braconinae |
Ascogaster annularis (Nees, 1816) |
Braconidae: Cheloninae |
Phanerotoma tritoma (Marshall, 1898) |
Braconidae: Cheloninae |
Dolichogenidea breviventris (Ratzeburg, 1848) |
Braconidae: Microgastrinae |
Dolichogenidea princeps (Wilkinson, 1941) |
Braconidae: Microgastrinae |
Anomalon clandestinum (Gravenhorst, 1829) |
Ichneumonidae: Anomaloninae |
Campoplex jaeckhi (Bauer, 1936) |
Ichneumonidae: Campopleginae |
Diadegma neomajale Horstmann, 1969 |
Ichneumonidae: Campopleginae |
Gelis areator (Panzer, 1804) |
Ichneumonidae: Cryptinae |
Neliopisthus elegans (Ruthe, 1855) |
Ichneumonidae: Tryphoniinae |
Anomalon clandestinum (Gravenhorst, 1829) |
Ichneumonidae: Anomaloninae |
|