A Biodiversity Information System for Cheshire, Halton, Warrington & Wirral

Three hatchings recently.
Phyllonorycter quercifoliella from a blotch mine on oak.
Coleophora from on of the cases found on oak. The larva in odd shaped case was also photographed feeding. Is there enough evidence to ID the case as Coleophora lutipennella?
Finally an unwanted hatching from a pupa found in the garden.
Bob & Helen

Hi Bob & Helen

How have you managed to identify the Coleophora ?

Regards
Steve

We have not identified the coleophora cases.
We found four cases on one branch of oak. Two we managed to photograph the larva feeding. One has hatched.
We wondered if the photo of the adult, cases and feeding larvae were enough to say the moths were coleophora lutipennella. Thanks Bob & Helen

Hi Bob & Helen
Brian Goodey did some work back in 2004 to separate the overwintering cases of flavipennella and lutipennella, see the Leaf Mine Newsletter 12. http://www.leafmines.co.uk/html/newsletter12.htm , so if you compare your early case it may be possible but I am not aware of any way of separating the larvae, spring cases or adults other than by dissection.
Regards
Steve