Coleophora chalcogrammella

Coleophora chalcogrammella
Scientific classification
Kingdom:	Animalia
Phylum:	Arthropoda
Class:	Insecta
Order:	Lepidoptera
Family:	Coleophoridae
Genus:	Coleophora
Species:	C. chalcogrammella
Binomial name
Coleophora chalcogrammella Zeller, 1839

Coleophora chalcogrammella is a moth of the family Coleophoridae. It was first described by Philipp Christoph Zeller in 1839 and is found in Europe.

Description

The wingspan is 8–10 millimetres (0.31–0.39 in)

The larvae feed on thyme-leaf sandwort (Arenaria serpyllifolia), field mouse-ear, (Cerastium arvense), three-nerved sandwort (Moehringia trinervia), lesser stitchwort (Stellaria graminea) and greater stitchwort (Stellaria holostea). In autumn, the larvae make a short corridor, which widens into a small blotch, out of which the first case is cut. After hibernation, the final case is made. It is a brown, three-valved, tubular silken case of about 6 millimetres (0.24 in) long. The mouth angle is about 30°. Full-grown cases can be found in May.

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

Distribution

It is found from Sweden and northern Russia to the Pyrenees and the Alps and from Great Britain to Romania.

External links

• Lepiforum.de

Sprig of Cerastium arvense with mined leaves and a larva-case attached

Larva