Coleophora lixella Zeller, 1849
downland case-bearer

from Toll (1962a)
case
The larve begins its life by eating out the ripe fruit of a floret of Thymus serpyllum. The emptied and dried calyce functions as its first case, in which it hibernates. After hibernation the larva switches to grasses, initially in its original thyme cse. Later a new case is made out of a mined grass leaf. This final case is about 11 mm long, two-valved, straw-coloured, has a mouth angle of c. 25°, and bears a striking resemblance to a grass spikelet. The case is a composite leaf case: the larva enlarges its case by replacing either the left or the right side completely by a new leaf fragment (causing the left and right side of the case often to have a different tinge.)
host plants
Poaceae; oligophagous
Alopecurus pratensis; Anthoxanthum odoratum; Avenula pubescens; Briza media; Bromus hordeaceus; Dactylis glomerata; Elymus; Holcus lanatus; Koeleria; Ochlopoa annua.
“Oligophagous” strictly is not correct: applies only after hibernation.
phenology
Larvae from end of August till end May (Emmet ao, 1996a).
BENELUX
BE recorded (Phegea, 2009).
NE recorded (Kuchlein & de Vos, 1999a; Microlepidoptera.nl, 2009).
LUX recorded (Fauna Europaea, 2009).
distribution within Europe
Entire Europe, perhaps excluding the Balkan Peninsula (Fauna Europaea, 2009).
larva
Described by Suire (1961a) and Emmet ao (1993a).
notes
In Britain the case may be confused with the one of Coleophora tricolor. This species does not have a composite, but rather a tubular leaf case.
references
Baldizzone (1979a, 2004a), Biesenbaum & van der Wolf (1999a), Bland (1986a), Corley, Marabuto, Maravalhas ao (2011a), Emmet, Langmaid, Bland ao (1996a), Gielis, Huisman, Kuchlein ao (1985a), Hering (1957a), Kuchlein & Donner (1993a), Kuchlein & de Vos (1999a), Leutsch (2011a), Michaelis (1983a), Patzak (1974b), Robbins (1991a), Schütze (1931a), Sønderup (1949a), Suire (1961a), Szőcs (1977a), Toll (1972a), Wegner (2010a).