Coleophora conspicuella

Coleophora conspicuella is a moth of the family Coleophoridae found in Asia and Europe. It was first described by Philipp Christoph Zeller in 1849.

Coleophora conspicuella
Coleophora cf. conspicuella
Scientific classification
Kingdom:
Animalia
Phylum:
Arthropoda
Class:
Insecta
Order:
Lepidoptera
Family:
Coleophoridae
Genus:
Coleophora
Species:
C. conspicuella
Binomial name
Coleophora conspicuella
Zeller, 1849

Distribution and habitat

This species can be found in all of Europe (except Ireland), in Siberia, Asia Minor, Syria, Iraq and Altai.[1][2] These rather vulnerable moths mainly occur in field edges, grassy slopes and scrubland.

Description

In Coleophora conspicuella the wingspan can reach 13–17.5 mm.[3] Forewings of these moths have pale yellow ground colour, with pale streaks and white subcostal stripes, without oblique streaks to costa. Antennae are white, unringed and the scape shows a long tuft.[4]

Biology

The larvae mine leaves and feed on Aster amellus, Aster linosyris, Aster sedifolius, Aster sedifolius canus, Centaurea aspera, Centaurea jacea, Centaurea montana, Centaurea nigra, Centaurea scabiosa and Chrysanthemum species.[2][3][5]

They create and live within a movable relatively large, dark brown, lightly curved two-valved sheath case with a narrow ventral keel. It is about 12–15 mm long and has a mouth angle of 30-45°.[5] Full-grown larvae can be found in May.[5]

  • Mounted specimen
  • Mined piece of leaf of Centaurea nigra with a larva-case attached
  • Larva

References
  1. "Coleophora conspicuella Zeller, 1849". Fauna Europaea. Retrieved 1 January 2020.
  2. Funet - Markku Savela's Lepidoptera and some other life forms
  3. "Coleophora conspicuella (Zeller, 1849)". Microlepidoptera.nl. Retrieved 1 January 2020.
  4. "Key to Copeophora species". British Lepidoptera. Retrieved 1 January 2020.
  5. Ellis, W N. "Coleophora conspicuella Zeller, 1849 knapweed case-bearer". Plant Parasites of Europe. Retrieved 1 January 2020.


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