Coleophora vicinella Zeller, 1849
Lepidoptera, Coleophoridae

from Toll (1952a)
case
Ochreous pistol case with many sharp obliquely backwards-downward running ridges and a sharp ventral keel. The pallium covers about three quarter of the case and has a pair of winglike extensions in its rear; in fact, int consists of two parts. It is strongly inflated, and has a scalloped surface structure; the colour is yellowish white at first, but brown or even black later. Mouth angle 45°.
The somewhat older larva does no longer make fleck mines, but eats, form above or below, all leaf tissue except the stronger veins.
hostplants
Fabaceae, oligophagous (?)
Astragalus; Coronilla; Dorycnium; Galega; Medicago falcata, sativa.
The synonymous C. gypsophilae is reported to live on Gypsophila paniculata; perhaps this was case of xenophagy?
phenology
Larvae from autumn till May the next year.
BENELUX
Not known from the Benelux countries (Fauna Europaea, 2009).
distribution within Europe
South of the line France – Ukraine (Fauna Europaea, 2009).
larva, pupa
Especially the larva is extensively described by Chrétien (1926a).
synonyms
Coleophora gypsophilae Christoph, 1862.
references
Baldizzone (1979a), Baldizzone & Nel (1993c), Baldizzone & van der Wolf (2000a), Chrétien (1926a, 1927a), Hering (1957a), Kasy (1987a), Nel (1992b,c), Szőcs (1977a, 1981a), Toll (1952a, 1962a).
16/01/2017