Coleophora orbitella Zeller, 1849

pale birch case-bearer

case

Composite leaf case. The material used to enlarge the case consists of large pieces of fleck mine, that are attached with such precision that they may seem seamless. In the course of summer an autumn two (sometimes three, according to Hering, 1927b) pieces are added. No more material is added after hibernation, causing the case in spring to be rather uniformly coloured (contrary to C. binderella, that does add an extension in spring, made of fresh leaf material).

host plants

Betulaceae, oligophagous

Alnus glutinosa; Betula nana, pendula; Carpinus betulus; Corylus avellana.

phenology

Larve are found from mid August; they are full grown end October. Pupation only after thibernation (Emmet, Langmaid, Bland ao, 1996a).

BENELUX

BE Recently rediscovered in Belgium in the province of Liège (ident. HW van der Wolf) (De Prins & Steeman, 2007); the case above represents a new observation.

NE recorded (Kuchlein & de Vos, 1999a); rare (Microlepidopter.nl, 2008).

LUX not recorded (Fauna Europaea, 2008).

distribution within Europe

From Scandinavia and northern Russia to the Pyrenees and Italy, and from Ireland to Poland and Hungary (Fauna Europaea, 2008).

larva

Four pairs of abdominal prolegs (Sich, 1904a).

references

Bachmaier (1965a), Biesenbaum & van der Wolf (1999a), Buhr (1935a), Emmet, Langmaid, Bland ao, 1996a), Hering (1927b, 1957a), Huisman, Koster, van Nieukerken & Ulenberg (2003a), Ivinskis & Savenkov (1991a), Klimesch (1950c, 1989a), Kuchlein & de Vos (1999a), Michaelis (1983a), Patzak (1974a), De Prins (2010a), Razowski (1990a), Robbins (1991a), Schütze (1931a), Sich, 1904a), Skala & Zavřel (1945a).Steeman & Sierens (2020a), Suire (1961a), Szőcs (1977a), Toll (1952a, 1962a).