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 currucipennella Zeller, 1839
[Lepidoptera: Coleophoridae]

Scarce Wood Case-bearer


Coleophora currucipennella Zeller, 1839. Isis 32: 207.


Leaf-miner and case-bearer: The full grown larva lives in a dull black pistol case of c 9 mm that, with a mouth angle of 80-90° stands erect on the leaf. Characteristic is the presence of some ear-like flaps. At least after the hibernation the larvae do not mine any more, but rather cause skeleton feeding (Bladmineerders van Europa).

Initially mines the leaf and then after the winter it feeds by skeletonizing the leaves, or making holes in the leaf. The final case is 9mm long, black and pistol shaped. It has dorso-lateral flaps and the case stands erect with the oral opening at 80-90°. An uncommon species found in woodland containing Oak and Hornbeam. This case was feeding on Hornbeam (British Leafminers).

Case of Coleophora currucipennella on Quercus rubra
Case of Coleophora currucipennella on Quercus rubra
Image: © Paul van Wielink (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).

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:

Betulaceae        
Carpinus betulus Hornbeam British Wild Flowers by John Somerville et al. Pitkin & Plant
Corylus       Pitkin & Plant
Fagaceae        
Quercus       Pitkin & Plant
Quercus spp.     British Leafminers
Salicaceae        
Salix       Pitkin & Plant

Hosts elsewhere:

Betulaceae        
Betula       Belgian Lepidoptera
Betula       Bladmineerders van Europa
Carpinus       Belgian Lepidoptera
Carpinus betulus Hornbeam British Wild Flowers by John Somerville et al. Belgian Lepidoptera
Carpinus betulus Hornbeam British Wild Flowers by John Somerville et al. Bladmineerders van Europa
Corylus avellana Hazel British Wild Flowers by John Somerville et al. Bladmineerders van Europa
Fagaceae        
Fagus       Belgian Lepidoptera
Fagus sylvatica Beech British Wild Flowers by John Somerville et al. Bladmineerders van Europa
Quercus        
Quercus petraea Sessile Oak British Wild Flowers by John Somerville et al. Bladmineerders van Europa
Quercus robur Pedunculate Oak British Wild Flowers by John Somerville et al. Bladmineerders van Europa
Rosaceae        
Malus       Belgian Lepidoptera
Malus       Bladmineerders van Europa
Prunus       Belgian Lepidoptera
Prunus cerasus Dwarf Cherry British Wild Flowers by John Somerville et al. Bladmineerders van Europa
Prunus spinosa Blackthorn British Wild Flowers by John Somerville et al. Bladmineerders van Europa
Pyrus     Belgian Lepidoptera
Pyrus communis Pear Bladmineerders van Europa
Sorbus       Belgian Lepidoptera
Sorbus aucuparia Rowan British Wild Flowers by John Somerville et al. Bladmineerders van Europa
Salicaceae        
Salix       Belgian Lepidoptera
Salix       Bladmineerders van Europa

Time of year - larvae: June (Emmet et al., 1996a).

Time of year - adults: Currently unknown.

Distribution in Great Britain and Ireland: Britain including Cheshire, Denbighshire, East Kent, East Norfolk, East Suffolk, Hertfordshire, Isle of Wight, Middlesex, North Essex, North Somerset, Shropshire, South Essex, Stafford, West Kent and West Norfolk (NBN Atlas).

Distribution elsewhere: Widespread in continental Europe including Austria, Belgium, Croatia, Czech Republic, Danish mainland, Estonia, French mainland, Germany, Greek mainland, Hungary, Italian mainland, Latvia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Macedonia, Norwegian mainland, Poland, Romania, Russia - Central, North and South, Slovakia, Slovenia, Sweden, Switzerland and The Netherlands. Also East Palaearctic and Near East (Fauna Europaea).

NBN Atlas links to known host species:

Carpinus betulus, Corylus avellana, Fagus sylvatica, Prunus cerasus, Prunus spinosa, Pyrus communis, Quercus petraea, Quercus robur, Sorbus aucuparia

British and Irish Parasitoids in Britain and elsewhere:

Ichneumonoidea - Links to species no longer available  
Campoplex tumidulus Gravenhorst, 1829 Ichneumonidae: Campopleginae
Gelis areator (Panzer, 1804) 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