Coleophora discordella
This record describes Coleophora discordella (species). Recorded family: Coleophoridae. Recorded order: Lepidoptera.
Identification and Appearance
Wingspan 11 to 13 mm. The adult is a buff or brown colour with a white costal streak and some other smaller white streaks. Places where bird's-foot-trefoil species are plentiful. The larva feeds on bird's-foot-trefoil (Lotus spp.), building a pistol-like case from silk and excised pieces of leaf. A fairly common species occurring widely throughout the British Isles in a range of habitats where the foodplant is to be found. In the Butterfly Conservation's Microlepidoptera Report 2011 this species was classified as common. http://www.leafmines.co.uk/html/Lepidoptera/C.discordella.htm https://bladmineerders.nl/parasites/animalia/arthropoda/insecta/lepidoptera/ditrysia/gelechioidea/coleophoridae/coleophora/coleophora-discordella/ No additional images available for this species.
Classification
- Kingdom
- Animalia
- Phylum
- Arthropoda
- Class
- Insecta
- Order
- Lepidoptera
- Family
- Coleophoridae
- Genus
- Coleophora
Imported taxonomy record. Source availability varies; see the source references and editorial policy below.
Habitat and Range
Habitat
Places where bird's-foot-trefoil species are plentiful.
Seasonal Activity
It flies in June and July.
Diet and Behavior
Life History
The larva feeds on bird's-foot-trefoil (Lotus spp.), building a pistol-like case from silk and excised pieces of leaf.
Additional species information
Recorded status
A fairly common species occurring widely throughout the British Isles in a range of habitats where the foodplant is to be found. 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 discordella. 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 Coleophora discordella (4)
Frequently Asked Questions About Coleophora discordella
What is Coleophora discordella?
Coleophora discordella is a species in the family Coleophoridae, within the order Lepidoptera.
Where is Coleophora discordella found?
Habitat: Places where bird's-foot-trefoil species are plentiful.
When is Coleophora discordella active?
Coleophora discordella: seasonal activity - It flies in June and July..
What is the life cycle of a Coleophora discordella?
The larva feeds on bird's-foot-trefoil (Lotus spp.), building a pistol-like case from silk and excised pieces of leaf.