Coleophora lithargyrinella Zeller, 1849
sandy case-bearer

from Toll (1962a)

Stellaria holostea, Belgium, prov. Flandres Occidentale, Torhout © Steve Wullaert

Malus sylvestris (larva prob. strayed from its hostplant), Belgium, prov. Namur, Viroin; © Stéphane Claerebout

larva
valves
case
Larva in a trivalved tubular silken case of 8 mm long, with a mouth angle of 25°-30°. The case is pale brown. A unique detail is the presence of a double dorsal keel, but this only occurs when the larva is fully developed (Emmet ao, 1996a): the foremost part of the keel remains single, but already before the middle the fork appears.
hostplants
Caryophyllaceae, narrowly oligophagous
Arenaria serpyllifolia; Cerastium arvense, glomeratum; Stellaria holostea, media.
Stellaria holostea clearly is the most important host plant. English authors also mention Silene dioica and maritima, but not a single word about these is said by continental authors.
phenology
Larvae are full-grown around May (Hering, 1957a).
BENELUX
BE recorded (Phegea, 2009).
NE recorded (Kuchlein & de Vos, 1999a; Microlepidoptera.nl, 2009).
LUX not recorded (Fauna Europaea, 2009).
distribution within Europe
From Fennoscandia to the Pyrenees and Italy, and from Ireland to the Baltic States and Romania (Fauna Europaea, 2009).
larva
Described by Emmet ao (1996a).
synonyms
Coleophora olivaceella Stainton, 1854, C. olivacella: auctorum.
references
Baldizzone (1986b, 2004a), Beiger (1965a), Biesenbaum & van der Wolf (1999a), Bland (1986a), Buhr (1937a), Emmet, Langmaid, Bland ao (1996a), Hering (1957a), Huber (1969a), Kuchlein & Donner (1993a), Kuchlein & de Vos (1999a), Maček (1999a), Michaelis (1983a), Michalska (1976a), Michalska Myssura & Walczak (2010a), van Nieukerken, Gielis, Huisman, Koster, Kuchlein, van der Wolf & Wolschrijn (1993a), Patzak (1974a), De Prins & Steeman (2013a), Razowski (1990a), Robbins (1991a), Schütze (1931a), Sønderup (1949a), Szőcs (1977a, 1978a, 1981a), Toll (1952a, 1962a).
02/04/2017