Lepidoptera Coleophora Ibipennella Moth
Fig. 239.-Ibipennella-Enlarged.
The family Coleophorida contains about seventy small moths, characterised by their very narrow and pointed wings, with long fringes, and also, generally, by a little tuft of hair on the first joint of the antenna.
The larva live in little cases which they construct, and feed on various leaves and seeds. They spend the winter within their cases, and change to the chrysalis state in spring or early summer.
One of these moths-Ibipennella-is shown in fig. 239. Its fore wings are white, with a satiny gloss, and brownish towards the tips. The ‘nervures’ are generally of a yellowish tinge. The hind wings are dark grey.
The larva feeds on the birch (Betula alba), and may be seen walking on the surface of the leaves, carrying, or rather dragging after it, the pistol-shaped case in which it lives, nothing protruding save its head and front legs. It is full fed in May, and the moth flies in July.