Coleophora mayrella
This record describes Coleophora mayrella (species). Recorded family: Coleophoridae. Recorded order: Lepidoptera.
Identification and Appearance
Wingspan 10-12 mm. The adults have a bronzy or greenish metallic sheen and the whitish antennae are thickened near the base. It frequents grassy areas and waste ground June and July is the main flight period. Adults fly during the day as well as after dark when they are attracted to light. The larvae feed within the flowers of White Clover. A larval case is built in the later stages but is very difficult to see. A widely distributed species throughout Britain and Ireland, it is common in places. In the Butterfly Conservation’s Microlepidoptera Report 2011 this species was classified as common.
Wikipedia reference for Coleophora mayrella: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Coleophora mayrella.
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 grassy areas and waste ground
Seasonal Activity
June and July is the main flight period. Adults fly during the day as well as after dark when they are attracted to light.
Diet and Behavior
Life History
The larvae feed within the flowers of White Clover. A larval case is built in the later stages but is very difficult to see.
Additional species information
Recorded status
A widely distributed species throughout Britain and Ireland, it is common in places. 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 mayrella. 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 mayrella (5)
Frequently Asked Questions About Coleophora mayrella
What is Coleophora mayrella?
Coleophora mayrella is a species in the family Coleophoridae, within the order Lepidoptera.
Where is Coleophora mayrella found?
Habitat: It frequents grassy areas and waste ground
When is Coleophora mayrella active?
Coleophora mayrella: seasonal activity - June and July is the main flight period. Adults fly during the day as well as after dark when they are attracted to light..
What is the life cycle of a Coleophora mayrella?
The larvae feed within the flowers of White Clover. A larval case is built in the later stages but is very difficult to see.