Food Plant: Vaccinium vitis-idaea (Cowberry)

Mine: Three year cycle : summer-late autumn; March-May, September-October; April-May (making three cases - one each year). In Europe only two cases are made (Beavan & Heckford, 2016)

Notes: A complex life cycle with the larvae intially mining the leaves, before forming a small case in the autumn of the year (In Europe this occurs in the second year). The final case is 6-8mm long (as shown) and the feeding signs are very visible with the larva being able to leave its case and enter the leaf to feed (as shown)

National Status: Nationally Scarce A

Bradley No: 507

Data: 16.iv.2005, Ravens rock Forest Gorge, VC107

Image:© Duncan Williams

References:
Beavan & Heckford, 2016, Coleophora glitzella Hofmann, 1869 (Lepidoptera: Coleophoridae): larval observations including the pre-case feeding phase, Entomologist’s Gazette 67: 225–232).
Emmet, 1996, The Moths and Butterflies of Great Britain and Ireland, Volume 3
Emmet,1998 A field Guide to the Smaller British Lepidoptera