Species Details

ABH: 37.061

BF: 530

Family: Coleophoridae

Taxon: Coleophora lixella

Authority: Zeller, 1849

Vernacular: Downland Case-bearer

Account: Nationally scarce (Nb) on downland, calcareous grassland, sand-dunes and rocky slopes in parts of the British Isles, predominantly coastal in the north of its range. Restricted in Hampshire to a handful of sites, including Porton Down, Oxenbourne, Portsdown, Leckford, Micheldever Spoil Heaps, Lower Test Marshes and Broughton Down. Recorded on the Isle of Wight at Freshwater in 2011, for the first time in over a century. Wingspan 16-21 mm. Flies in afternoon sunshine and at night. Similar to Basil-thyme Case-bearer C. tricolor, but with upperside of apical portion of antenna white (MBGBI Vol 3). Larva mines leaves of Wild Thyme and various grasses, living within a movable case; case length 11 mm.

Accounts provided by and used with the kind permission of Mike Wall, Hampshire County Moth Recorder. These will in due course be gradually replaced with species accounts with a Surrey context.

Wingspan: 16 — 21 mm

Surrey Flight Period: 21 Jun (2018) — 1 Aug (2000)

The flight period of overwintering adults are not given. See the flight chart below the distribution map.

Foodplant: Gramineae, Thymus sp.

Foodplant accounts are from the HOSTS database — Natural History Museum, London, UK. (CC0).

Status: Nationally Scarce B

UK BAP:

WCA:

Click here to view the full geology map of Surrey.

Verification Grade: 3 — Difficult to identify, an image may be required 🤔🤔
Further Information: https://www.ukmoths.org.uk/species/coleophora-lixella/
Statistics

* Based on adult records only.

Records: 10

Individuals: 0

Earliest Year: 2000

Latest Year: 2018

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