Clover Case-bearer
Coleophora alcyonipennella
This record describes Coleophora alcyonipennella (species). Recorded family: Coleophoridae. Recorded order: Lepidoptera.
Identification and Appearance
Wingspan around 12 mm. The species bears a close resemblance to other members of the genus. In sunlight he wings have a purple-red metallic sheen and the antennae whiten slightly towards the tips. It frequents rough grassy habitats where the main food plant, White Clover, occurs. Adult moths fly in two generations, in May and June and again in late July and August. The larva feeds inside a case formed from a floret and are virtually impossible to see on the flower head. Larvae can be obtained by collecting the browning flower heads and waiting for the larvae to detach their cases on the main flower head. Distributed across much of the British Isles. In the Butterfly Conservation’s Microlepidoptera Report 2011 this species was classified as local.
Wikipedia reference for Coleophora alcyonipennella: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Coleophora_alcyonipennella.
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
It frequents rough grassy habitats where the main food plant, White Clover, occurs.
Seasonal Activity
Adult moths fly in two generations, in May and June and again in late July and August.
Diet and Behavior
Life History
The larva feeds inside a case formed from a floret and are virtually impossible to see on the flower head. Larvae can be obtained by collecting the browning flower heads and waiting for the larvae to detach their cases on the main flower head.
Additional species information
Recorded status
Distributed across much of the British Isles. In the Butterfly Conservation’s Microlepidoptera Report 2011 this species was classified as local.
About Butterflies and Moths: the wider group
Order-level background for Lepidoptera, the group containing Coleophora alcyonipennella. 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 Clover Case-bearer (6)
Frequently Asked Questions About Clover Case-bearer
What is Clover Case-bearer?
Clover Case-bearer (Coleophora alcyonipennella) is a species in the family Coleophoridae, within the order Lepidoptera.
Where is Clover Case-bearer found?
Habitat: It frequents rough grassy habitats where the main food plant, White Clover, occurs.
When is Clover Case-bearer active?
Clover Case-bearer: seasonal activity - Adult moths fly in two generations, in May and June and again in late July and August..
What is the life cycle of a Clover Case-bearer?
The larva feeds inside a case formed from a floret and are virtually impossible to see on the flower head. Larvae can be obtained by collecting the browning flower heads and waiting for the larvae to detach their cases on the main flower head.