The leaf and stem mines of British flies and other insects
 

(Coleoptera, Diptera, Hymenoptera and Lepidoptera)

by Brian Pitkin, Willem Ellis, Colin Plant and Rob Edmunds

 

Coleophora idaeella Hofmann, 1869
[Lepidoptera: Coleophoridae]

Scotch Case-bearer


Coleophora idaeella Hofmann, 1869. Stett. ent. Ztg. 30: 187.


Leaf-miner and case-bearer: Details of mine unknown.

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 full-grown larva in a bivalved composite leaf case, composed of three leaf fragments of increasing age and decreasing size; the case measures c. 10 mm, the mouth angle is c. 60° (Bladmineerders van Europa).

Has a two year life cycle and ultimately forms a case of three pieces of mined leaf (British leafminers)

Pupa: The pupae of moths have visible head appendages, wings and legs which lie in sheaths (see examples).

Adult: The adult is not illustrated in UKMoths (check for update). The species is included in mothdissection.co.uk.

Hosts in Great Britain and Ireland:

Ericaceae        
Vaccinium vitis-idaea Cowberry British Wild Flowers by John Somerville et al. British leafminers
Vaccinium vitis-idaea Cowberry British Wild Flowers by John Somerville et al. Pitkin & Plant

Hosts elsewhere:

Ericaceae        
Vaccinium vitis-idaea Cowberry British Wild Flowers by John Somerville et al. Belgian Lepidoptera
Vaccinium vitis-idaea Cowberry British Wild Flowers by John Somerville et al. Bladmineerders van Europa

Time of year - larvae: Currently unknown.

Time of year - adults: Currently unknown.

Distribution in Great Britain and Ireland: Britain including Kincardineshire and South Aberdeen (NBN Atlas).

Distribution elsewhere: Widespread in continental Europe including Austria, Czech Republic, Danish mainland, Estonia, Finland, Germany, Latvia, Lithuania, Norwegian mainland, Poland, Russia - North, Slovakia, Sweden and Switzerland (Fauna Europaea).

NBN Atlas links to known host species:

Vaccinium vitis-idaea

British and Irish Parasitoids in Britain and elsewhere:

Ichneumonoidea - Links to species no longer available  
Gelis agilis (Fabricius, 1775) Ichneumonidae: Cryptinae


External links: Search the internet:

Belgian Lepidoptera
Biodiversity Heritage Library
Bladmineerders van Europa
British leafminers
Encyclopedia of Life
Fauna Europaea
NBN Atlas
NHM UK Checklist
UKMoths

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Last updated 11-Jul-2019  Brian Pitkin Top of page