• HOME
• About
  • Acknowledgements
  • Introduction
  • Methods
  • Morphology
  • Recent Changes
• Checklists
• Genus Index
• Species Index
• Keys
  • By Host Plant Genus
  • By Host Plant Common Name
  • To Liromyza species in Glasshouse and/or Quarantine Interceptions
• Parasitoids
• References
• Resources
• Search

Leaf-miner and case-bearer: The larvae feed on the needles. When occurring in large numbers, entire trees can be damaged, the needles turning pale as the larvae eat them from within. A number of cases are built as the larvae grow, often in the centre of a floret of needles (UKMoths).

The case is also illustrated in British leafminers and 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).

The cremaster is illustrated in Bladmineerders van Europa.

Coleophora laricella larva, dorsal Image: © Willem Ellis (Bladmineerders van Europa)

Adult: The adult is illustrated in UKMoths. The species is included in mothdissection.co.uk.

Hosts in Great Britain and Ireland:

Pinaceae
Larix	decidua	European Larch		British leafminers
Larix	decidua	European Larch		Pitkin & Plant
Larix	decidua	European Larch		UKMoths

Hosts elsewhere:

Pinaceae
Larix				Belgian Lepidoptera
Larix	decidua	European Larch		Belgian Lepidoptera
Larix	decidua	European Larch		Bladmineerders van Europa
Larix	gmelinii			Bladmineerders van Europa
Larix	kaempferi	Japanese Larch		Bladmineerders van Europa
Larix	laricina	American Larch		Bladmineerders van Europa
Larix	occidentalis	Douglas Fir		Bladmineerders van Europa
Larix	sibirica			Bladmineerders van Europa
Pseudotsuga	menziesii			Bladmineerders van Europa

Time of year - larvae: July to October, feeding again from April to May (British leafminers).

Time of year - adults: The adults fly in June and July and are attracted to light (UKMoths).

Distribution in Great Britain and Ireland: A common species in suitable habitats throughout most of the British Isles (UKMoths) including Anglesey, Banffshire, Bedfordshire, Breconshire, Caernarvonshire, Cambridgeshire, Carmarthenshire, Cumberland, Denbighshire, Dunbartonshire, Durham, East Cornwall, East Norfolk, East Suffolk, Flintshire, Glamorgan, Herefordshire, Hertfordshire, Kincardineshire, Kirkudbrightshire, Leicestershire, Linlithgow, Merionethshire, Middlesex, Montgomeryshire, North Ebudes, North Essex, North Northumberland, North Wiltshire, Pembrokeshire, Shropshire, South Hampshire, South Northumberland, Stafford, Stirlingshire, Surrey, Warwickshire, West Gloucestershire, West Norfolk, West Ross, West Suffolk, Westmorland, Wigtownshire, and Worcestershire (NBN Atlas).

Also recorded in the Republic of Ireland and Northern Ireland (Fauna Europaea and National Biodiversity Data Centre Map).

Distribution elsewhere: Widespread in continental Europe including Austria, Belgium, Croatia, Czech Republic, Danish mainland, Estonia, Finland, French mainland, Germany, Hungary, Italian mainland, Latvia, Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Norwegian mainland, Poland, Romania, Russia - North, Slovakia, Slovenia, Sweden, Switzerland and The Netherlands (Fauna Europaea).

NBN Atlas links to known host species:

British and Irish Parasitoids in Britain and elsewhere:

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