Coleophora lixella Zeller, 1849 Species
Last modified: Dec. 2, 2024, 6:33 p.m.
A very rare and local species in Belgium.
Details
- Classification
- Family: Coleophoridae > Genus: Coleophora > Species: Coleophora lixella
- Vernacular names
- Gouden sikkelkokermot (NL), Downland case-bearer (EN), Gouden sikkelkokermot (DE)
- First mention in Belgium
- De Fré Ch. 1858. Catalogue des Microlépidoptères de la Belgique. — Annales de la Société entomologique belge 2: 45–162. On page 141. view page
- Status
-
Native
Distribution
Imago
Wingspan 16–21 mm.
The forewing is ochreous and little sickle-shaped. There are three silver stripes on the wings.
The antennae are fully white or slightly ringed, there is a tuft at the base of 1/6 length of the antennae.
Museum specimens
No pictures yet!Specimens in nature
Case
The final straw-colored case is about 11 mm long.
The mouth angle is. 25°.
See also bladmineerders.be.
Bionomics
The eggs are deposited on a flower of mainly Thymus.
The larva begins its life by eating out the ripe fruit of a floret of Thymus serpyllum. Then it hibernates.
After hibernation the larva switches to grasses, making a new case made out of a mined grass leaf. Larvae from the end of August till the end of May.
The adults are mostly day-active.
Flight periods
The adults fly in July till in August.
Observed on
- Host plant (genera):
- Thymus, Anthoxanthum, Bromus, Dactylis and Holcus
Before winter mainly on Thymus. After overwintering on grasses.
