Coleophora alcyonipennella (Kollar, 1832) Species
Last modified: Dec. 2, 2024, 5:45 p.m.
This fairly common species is found all over Belgium.
Details
- Classification
- Family: Coleophoridae > Genus: Coleophora > Species: Coleophora alcyonipennella
- Vernacular names
- Metaalkokermot (NL), Clover case-bearer (EN), Metall-Sackmotte (DE)
- Synonyms
- Coleophora frischella sensu auct., nec (Linnaeus, 1758)
- First mention in Belgium
- De Sélys-Longchamps E. 1844. Énumération des insectes Lépidoptères de la Belgique. — Mémoires de la Société royale des Sciences de Liége 2: 1–35. On page 25 (as Elachista alcyonipennella ? Kollar). view page
- Status
-
Native
Distribution
Imago
Wingspan 10–14 mm.
The forewings are metal-green.
The antennae are ringed with alternating black and white segments to 4/5 of their length while the remaining part at the top is purely white.
Museum specimens
Specimens in nature
Genitalia
Case
The case, only constructed after the fourth moulting, is made of maximal 3 seed capsules spun together.
See also bladmineerders.be.
Bionomics
The eggs are deposited on the flowers of the food plant. These flowers are also the initial food source for the young larvae.
Later on, after the 4th moult, the larva feeds on the ripe seeds where it then lives in a case made of maximum 3 seed capsules.
Exceptionally, this species has two generations a year but, in general, there is only one generation and the larvae pass the winter in diapause.
Flight periods
The moths fly from May till the end of August, exceptionally in 2 generations.
Observed on
- Host plant (species):
- Trifolium repens
Monophagous on Trifolium repens.
Habitat
This species is mostly found on waste grounds and roadsides.
