37.031 BF514

Coleophora ahenella
Buckthorn Case-bearer

Heinemann, [1876]

Wingspan c. 12mm.

In Britain, this is a very local and scarce species, recorded only from a small number of localities in southern central England.

The typical foodplants are buckthorn (Rhamnus cathartica) and alder buckthorn (Frangula alnus) although it is recorded as feeding on a number of other plants. Some of these may be recorded in error, as the larval case closely resembles that of C. violacea and C. potentillae.

The adult moths are unicolorous grey with a slight sheen, and require examination of the genitalia to be sure of identification. They fly in May and June.