11.01 BF183

Bacotia claustrella
Shining Bagworm

(Bruand, 1845)

Wingspan (male) c.14 mm.

A scarce species in Britain, occurring only in certain southern English counties.

As with many other Psychids, the females are apterous, and have reduced legs. The males are fully winged and rather dull brown in appearance.

The larva builds a case covered with lichen and fragments of bark, and rests with the case projecting at right angles from the bark, resembling a bud or stunted side shoot.

The normal emergence period for the adults is June and July, and the larvae feed from autumn, overwintering and feeding again in the spring up until about May.