Case bearers on hawthorn

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bobhelencoan
Posts: 657
Joined: Thu Mar 12, 2015 6:25 pm
Location: Waverton, Chester

Case bearers on hawthorn

Post by bobhelencoan »

Found two types of case bearer on hawthorn. A post on facebook recently by someone else named the small curved case as Coleophora hemerobiella which we don't think is found in Cheshire. Can the moths be identified from the cases and food plant? We are trying to breed them through which should help with identification if successful.
Also do the larva leave the cases at any point as a few days days finding the cases a small larva was found in the container.
Any help much appreciated Bob & Helen
Attachments
smaller coleophora on hawthorn
smaller coleophora on hawthorn
Coleophora on hawthorn
Coleophora on hawthorn
larva in case bearer container
larva in case bearer container
GasMacc1
Posts: 175
Joined: Tue Jun 06, 2017 11:10 am

Re: Case bearers on hawthorn

Post by GasMacc1 »

Coleophora hemerobiella is category 1 ("no additional evidence required") for the adult moth.

UK moths is of the opinion that it is "one of the more easily identifiable Coleophorids".
https://ukmoths.org.uk/species/coleophora-hemerobiella/

The case is category C1: also, "no additional evidence required".

The Sterling and Parsons field guide (p157) has a photo of an early case (curved) of Coleophora hemerobiella on hawthorn and a "final case" (straight), also on hawthorn. I don't know whether it's significant, but that photo of the final case is much darker than yours, as is the photo in Manley. The early case, however, looks very similar.

(Manley has a brief note: "two year life-cycle").

Good luck with the breeding through! That should remove any doubt.
GasMacc1
Posts: 175
Joined: Tue Jun 06, 2017 11:10 am

Re: Case bearers on hawthorn

Post by GasMacc1 »

P.S. Not sure about the larva. You mentioned that you have tried the online micro-moth larva key. Does it work for this specimen?

http://www.micromothlarvae.co.uk
bobhelencoan
Posts: 657
Joined: Thu Mar 12, 2015 6:25 pm
Location: Waverton, Chester

Re: Case bearers on hawthorn

Post by bobhelencoan »

Thanks for all that detail. I feel we will just have to wait and hope to be sure. Bob & Helen
bobhelencoan
Posts: 657
Joined: Thu Mar 12, 2015 6:25 pm
Location: Waverton, Chester

Re: Case bearers on hawthorn

Post by bobhelencoan »

Up date. The small larvae made a hammock cocoon and emerged as Lyonetia clerkella.
A coleophora adult has emerged. Looks most like spinella. Are the case photos and adult photo enough for a posituve ID? the photo and case
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Coleophora spinella? hatched from cases on hawthorn.
Coleophora spinella? hatched from cases on hawthorn.
stevehind
Posts: 2908
Joined: Mon Aug 04, 2008 11:44 am
Location: Higher Poynton, Cheshire

Re: Case bearers on hawthorn

Post by stevehind »

It's either Coleophora coracipennella or C. spinella which need dissecting to be sure.
bobhelencoan
Posts: 657
Joined: Thu Mar 12, 2015 6:25 pm
Location: Waverton, Chester

Re: Case bearers on hawthorn

Post by bobhelencoan »

update dissected as Coleophora spinella. Thanks to Steve H
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