Coleophoridae

Definition

A family of small moths (Lepidoptera: Gelechioidea), commonly called case-bearers or casebearing moths. The larvae construct portable, tubular silken cases that they carry while feeding; the cases are often decorated with frass and plant fragments and serve as protective shelters for the cocoon. Adults are typically drab, narrow-winged micromoths. The family is most diverse in temperate regions of the Northern Hemisphere, especially the Palearctic, and is represented on all continents.

Etymology

From the type genus Coleophora (Greek koleos 'sheath' + phoros 'bearing') + -idae (family suffix).

Example

Larvae of the genus Coleophora feed on leaves of Asteraceae and other plants, each species typically restricted to a particular host; the distinctive cases, often attached to dried stems through winter, are used in field identification.

Synonyms

• case-bearer moths
• casebearing moths

Related Terms

• Gelechioidea
• Lepidoptera
• micromoths
• case-bearer
• Coleophora
• Blastobasinae
• leaf-miner

Usage Notes

The vernacular 'case moths' can cause confusion with Psychidae (bagworm moths), whose larvae also build cases; Coleophoridae cases are typically cylindrical and portable, whereas Psychidae cases are often larger, more irregular, and frequently attached to substrate. The family is sometimes split into subfamilies Coleophorinae, Blastobasinae, and Omphalopodinae, though classification varies.