Coleophora alticolella Zeller, 1849

common rush case-bearer

on Juncus

Coleophora alticolella: case

case (from Patzak, 1974a)

parasite

Larva initially hidden in a fruit, of which the seeds are consumed. From here it starts making a whitish or grey tubular silken case, in which it later crawls freely over the inflorescence. The completed case is 5-6 mm long with a mouth angle of 0°-5°.

host plants

Juncaceae, monophagous

Juncus articulatus, conglomeratus, effusus, inflexus, squarrosus.

At high densities sometimes a larva strays towards Luzula campestris.

phenology

Cases from about August. Hibernation as larva in the case; pupation in May-June, still in the case.

distribution within Europe

All of Europe.

notes

The case cannot be distinguished from the one of C. glaucicollela, that has the same biology and hostplants. The differences in the larvae, mentioned by Emmet ao, based on an old paper by Wood are not convincing.

references

Baldizzone (1979a, 1983c, 2004a), Baldizzone & scalercio (2018a), Baldizzone, Tokár & Kovács (2004a), Baldizzone & van der Wolf (2000a), Biesenbaum & van der Wolf (1999a), Corley, Maravalhas & Passos de Carvalho (2006a), Emmet, Langmaid, Bland ao (1996a), Ivinskis & Savenkov (1991a), Jansen & Asselbergs (1993a), Kaltenbach & Roesler (1985a), Kozlov & Kullberg (2006a), Leutsch (2011a), Michaelis (1983a), Nel (1992b), Patzak (1974a), De Prins (2010a), Robbins (1991a), Schütze (1931a), Wegner (2010a), Wood (1892a).