Coleophora adjectella Herrich-Schäffer, 1861 Species
Last modified: Feb. 16, 2024, 5:52 p.m.
A new species for Belgium in 2014 in NA. Hitherto a very rare species, mostly found as a case on the food plant in the southern part of the country.
Details
- Classification
- Family: Coleophoridae > Genus: Coleophora > Species: Coleophora adjectella
- Vernacular names
- Sleedoornkokermot (NL), Southern case-bearer (EN)
- First mention in Belgium
- Van Steenwinkel C. & Wullaert S. 2016. Coleophora adjectella – sleedoornkokermot (Lepidoptera: Coleophoridae), nieuw voor de Belgische fauna. — Phegea 44(4): 98–100. On page 98. view page
- Status
-
Native
Distribution
Imago
Wingspan: 9–12 mm.
This is a rather small Coleophora species: it is coloured light-ochreous with the apex somewhat darker.
The antennae are white-brown ringed till the tip.
Museum specimens
No pictures yet!Specimens in nature
No pictures yet!Genitalia
Caterpillar
The larva is ochreous yellow with a blackish head.
Case
The case of a full-grown caterpillar is very flat, spatula-shaped and about 6–7 mm.
The mouth angle is 45°.
Mine
The young caterpillar makes an oval to rectangular blotch mine, measuring a few mm, from where it makes the first tube. Subsequently, it constructs a second tube at the leaf edge in a way the tube gets a sawn dorsal keel. Later on, the caterpillars simply make blotch mines which are strikingly white in the beginning!
See also bladmineerders.be.
Bionomics
The first case is cut out of an oval mine in the centre of the leaf. Later on, the other cases are constructed with cut out material along the leaf margin and, therefore, have a serrate dorsal keel.
The larva lives from August till May, hibernating in between.
Flight periods
One generation a year from the end of May till the beginning of August.
Observed on
- Host plant (species):
- Prunus spinosa
- Host plant (genera):
- Prunus and Crataegus
Mainly found on Prunus spinosa, but also on other species of Prunus or on Crataegus spp.
Habitat
This species is found in the south of Belgium where Prunus spinosa is more common.
