from Toll (1962a)

Vaccinium myrtillus, Belgium, prov. Liège, High Fens © Steve Wullaert

feeding traces, with excision and youth case

case

The full-grown larva in a bivalved composite leaf case, composed of three leaf fragments of increasing age and decreasing size; the case measures c. 10 mm, the mouth angle is c. 60°.

Confusion is possible with Coleophora vacciniella, that can live on the same hostplant. An additional difference then is that vacciniella causes window feeding in the upperside of the leaf, while idaeella makes blotch mines from the underside. However, the pupation of idaeella occurs on the upperside (Itämies & Tabell, 1991a; Tabell in litt., 2009).

host plants

Ericaceae, narrowly monophagous

Vaccinium vitis-idaea.

Rarely V. myrtillus (picture above).

phenology

Oviposition in June, July; the larva is full-grown in May, two year later (Emmet ao, 1996a).

BENELUX

BE observed (De Prins ao)

NE not recorded (Fauna Europaea, 2012)

LUX not recorded (Fauna Europaea, 2012)

distribution within Europe

From Fennoscandia and northern Russia to the Pyrenees and Alps, and from Britain to Poland (Fauna Europa, 2009).

larva

See Emmet ao (1996a); prolegs on abd. 3-5.

references

Emmet, Langmaid, Bland ao (1996a), Hering (1957a), Itämies & Tabell (1991a), Patzak (1974a), De Prins, Steeman & Sierens (2016a), Pröse, Kolbeck & Segerer (2003a), Razowski (1990a), Sønderup (1949a), Stark & Buchner (2016a), Toll (1962a).