Coleophora gryphipennella

Alternative names
Rose Case-bearer
Description

Wingspan 11 to 13 mm. Coleophora gryphipennella may be confused with several other greyish brown Coleophorid species. The commonest, C. serratella, has indistinct rings on the apex of the antenna, while they are clearly defined on C. gryphipennella. To positively identify specimens that have not been reared from larvae on roses, examination of the genitalia is advisable.

Cases and small circular transparent mines are commonly found on dog-rose.  The mines have a small hole in the middle where the case was attached and through which the larva feeds.

Identification difficulty

Adult Leafmine+case

Habitat

Anywhere that Roses are found.

When to see it

The adult occurs in late June - July, flying at dusk and early morning; males will assemble to an unmated female until 9 a.m. It can also be attracted to light at night.

Life History

The larva feeds on rose (Rosa spp.), building successively larger portable cases from cut-out leaf fragments; September 3mm, October to April 6mm. In mid-April the third and final, 6 or 7 mm, case is formed. At first it is spatulate with a bivalved anal opening and serrate dorsal keel formed from a leaf margin. During May, the case is expanded dorsally, becoming cylindrical with a trivalved anal opening. The expansion may conceal the dorsal serration.

UK Status

Apart from the far north of Scotland, it is common over most of Britain and Ireland where roses grow. In the Butterfly Conservation's Microlepidoptera Report 2011 this species was classified as common.

VC55 Status

Most records in Leicestershire and Rutland are of the cased larvae feeding on Dog-rose.

Reference
37.006 BF491

Leicestershire & Rutland Map

MAP KEY:

Yellow squares = NBN records (all known data)
Coloured circles = NatureSpot records: 2025+ | 2020-2024 | pre-2020

UK Map

Species profile

Common names
Rose Case-bearer
Species group:
Moths
Kingdom:
Animalia
Order:
Lepidoptera
Family:
Coleophoridae
Records on NatureSpot:
12
First record:
12/10/2017 (Calow, Graham)
Last record:
18/11/2024 (Isabel Raval)

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