Apple & Plum Case-bearer
Coleophora spinella
This record describes Coleophora spinella (species). Recorded family: Coleophoridae. Recorded order: Lepidoptera.
Identification and Appearance
Wingspan 10 to 12 mm. One of the grey Coleophoras. This species can only be definitely separated as an adult by reference to the genitalia, from the very similar C. coracipennella and C. prunifoliae. In areas where the larval food plants occur. The larva, like those species, creates blotch mines and later lives in a series of portable cases, on Hawthorn, Apple or Blackthorn among others. Found fairly frequently throughout England and Wales to southern Scotland and more locally in Ireland. In the Butterfly Conservation's Microlepidoptera Report 2011 this species was classified as common.
Wikipedia reference for Coleophora spinella: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Coleophora_spinella.
Classification
- Kingdom
- Animalia
- Phylum
- Arthropoda
- Class
- Insecta
- Order
- Lepidoptera (Butterflies and Moths)
- Superfamily
- Gelechioidea
- Family
- Coleophoridae (Casebearing Moths)
- Subfamily
- Coleophorinae
- Genus
- Coleophora (Casebearers)
Imported taxonomy record. Source availability varies; see the source references and editorial policy below.
Habitat and Range
Habitat
In areas where the larval food plants occur.
Seasonal Activity
Flies in June and July.
Diet and Behavior
Life History
The larva, like those species, creates blotch mines and later lives in a series of portable cases, on Hawthorn, Apple or Blackthorn among others.
Additional species information
Recorded status
Found fairly frequently throughout England and Wales to southern Scotland and more locally in Ireland. In the Butterfly Conservation's Microlepidoptera Report 2011 this species was classified as common.
About Butterflies and Moths: the wider group
Order-level background for Lepidoptera, the group containing Coleophora spinella. Species-specific details appear above.
Group overview
Lepidoptera includes approximately 180,000 described species of butterflies and moths. Moths outnumber butterflies roughly 10:1. The monarch butterfly's eastern population has declined by more than 80% since the mid-1990s, and the western population by over 95% since the 1980s. The IUCN lists the migratory monarch as Vulnerable.
Ecological role of the group
Butterflies and moths are essential indicators of ecosystem health. As caterpillars, they are a primary food source for birds - a single nest of blue tit chicks requires ~10,000 caterpillars. Adult moths pollinate many night-blooming plants.
Economic and practical significance of the group
Lepidoptera are critical pollinators. In Europe, grassland butterfly species have declined by almost 50% since the early 1990s. In the UK, three-quarters of butterflies are in decline. In the U.S., five butterfly species have gone extinct since 1950, with 29 listed as endangered.
Recorded sources for this group: IUCN Red List, Xerces Society, USFWS, PNAS, WWF. Imported estimates may describe particular regions or reporting periods.
Photos of Apple & Plum Case-bearer (6)
Frequently Asked Questions About Apple & Plum Case-bearer
What is Apple & Plum Case-bearer?
Apple & Plum Case-bearer (Coleophora spinella) is a species in the family Coleophoridae, within the order Lepidoptera.
Where is Apple & Plum Case-bearer found?
Habitat: In areas where the larval food plants occur.
When is Apple & Plum Case-bearer active?
Apple & Plum Case-bearer: seasonal activity - Flies in June and July..
What is the life cycle of a Apple & Plum Case-bearer?
The larva, like those species, creates blotch mines and later lives in a series of portable cases, on Hawthorn, Apple or Blackthorn among others.