COLEOPHORIDAE
Mostly medium-sized, narrow-winged, unicolorous or pale-streaked moths,
many of which are obscurely marked and hard to determine. The antennae,
which often provide distinguishing characters, are porrected when the moth is
at rest. The larvae make portable cases of silk, of a hollowed out fragment of
leaf or in an eaten-out seedhead. The case is then attached by silk to a new leaf
or seedhead into which the larva mines. The mines in leaves are conspicuous
and readily betray the presence of the larva; they consist of pale blotches
without frass, each with a small round hole, usually on the underside. where the
larva made entry. Seedheads which have been attacked have a small hole on
the side. Pupation takes place within the case. Except in a few pairs or small
groups, the cases are distinctive and easy to determine. The most difficult
group comprises the species feeding on the seeds of Chenopodiaceae which
have also been subject to repeated changes of nomenclature; many records for
these have been discarded because it has not been possible to be certain which
species is intended. Of the 106 species on the British list, 80 have been recorded
in Essex, one of which is exclusive to the county. Recording is uneven and
depends largely on the ease with which the early stages may be recognised;
some species are undoubtedly more widely distributed than the maps suggest.
Augasma aeratella (Zell.) NRR., 1880-1934. Polygonum aviculare, in a gall. V. loc. and r.; its
status in Britain may be that of a migrant which becomes temporarily established. The 1934
Essex record is the most recent but one for the whole of Britain. "Essex" (Meyrick, 1928).
VC 18.39 Chingford, a gall taken by Mr B. Ward on 29 July 1934; - *Essex salt-marshes, 1880
(Machin, 1881).
Metriotes lutarea (Haw.) NRR., 1898-1906. ?Stellaria holostea. May still occur.
VC 18. 88 Eastwood (Whittle, 1899b); 1906 (FGW).
Goniodoma limoniella (Staint.) Res., 1884-1980. Limonium vulgare. V.c. on all salt-marshes. 98
*Shoeburyness (Coverdale, 1895).
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