Morley’s Final Catalogue: Abundant everywhere among gorse. Much overlooked: Newmarket (Fenland); Brandon (Barrett); near Thetford.
Recent Status: A common and easily recognised species, where the foodplant grows.
Life Style: The species is a single brooded species and one of the first Coleophora to appear in Spring. The larvae feed on Ulex seeds.
Identification: One of the few Coleophora species that can be identified from the adult moth from the specific length and position of the white stripes. One on the costa, one on the termen and two others placed at an angle on the wing. The larvae initially feed inside a pod of Ulex before emerging and constructing a case from a flower calyx and feeding by boring into a seed pod.. They later construct a silken case to overwinter in, fully fed, before pupating in spring.
Recorded in 26 (45%) of 58 10k Squares. First Recorded in 1987. Last Recorded in 2023. Additional Stats