Coleophora serratella

Description

Coleophora serratella is a moth of the family Coleophoridae. It is found in Europe (except the Balkan Peninsula), Japan (Hokkaido) and North America. The wingspan is 11–14 millimetres (0.43–0.55 in).Coleophora species have narrow blunt to pointed forewings and a weakly defined tornus.The hindwings are narrow-elongate and very long-fringed. The upper surfaces have neither a discal spot nor transverse lines. Each abdomen segment of the abdomen has paired patches of tiny spines which show through the scales. The resting position is horizontal with the front end raised and the cilia give the hind tip a frayed and upturned look if the wings are rolled around the body. C. serratella characteristics include:- Head light ochreous - fuscous. Antennae whitish, ringed with fuscous, more faintly or obsoletely towards apex, basal joint fuscous. Forewings rather dark fuscous, ochreous - tinged. Hindwings dark fuscous. Only reliably identified by dissection and microscopic examination of the genitalia. The moth flies in June depending on the location. The larvae feed on birches, elms, alders, hazels, apples, Crataegus, Sorbus, willows, Comptonia peregrina and Quercus wislizenii. They create a strongly curved youth case. The adult case is a tubular leaf case. It is trivalved and about 7 millimetres (0.28 in) long. The mouth angle is about 30°. It is straw coloured. Larvae start feeding in September and continue to the end of October. They hibernate in their case, and resume feeding in April.