37.05 BF532 – Sallow Pistol Case-bearer – Coleophora albidella – (Denis & Schiffermüller, 1775)
Adult Micro: CAT 4 – Dissection required – 
Leaf-miner: CAT A – Recorded accepted without the leaf or a photo – Larval Case: C1 – Distinctive Species –
– click for General Verification Guidelines | – click for Specific Verification Guidelines
Leaf-miner: CAT A – Recorded accepted without the leaf or a photo – Larval Case: C1 – Distinctive Species – – click for General Verification Guidelines | – click for Specific Verification Guidelines 
– Significant Record / Very Rare / Vagrant 
– Leaf-miner
** Photograph required
**
– difficult to identify – detailed examination required, often a Gen Det and/or specimen and quality photographs are required.Confusion Species: Coleophora anatipennella – Pistol Case-bearer
ID pointers: Overall white with sparse, sometimes feint, darker speckling, and has a noticeable buff tuft at the base of the antenna.
Distribution: (Last record: 1963 at Coombes Reservoir ) – Significant Record – Harrison & Sterling list one from Coombes Reservoir 1963 (also listed in DaNES Historic)
General Comment: None Mine Period Additional: The larvae feed on Salix spp This is found in fens, boggy areas and damp woodland. The case is made from silk and fragments of epidermis and frass and is covered with white hairs (from the leaves). The end of the larval case is turned over.
Mine ID Difficulty:
– Mine cannot be identified without breeding through and then adult may need to be examined by Gen Det Prep. Mine Type/s: Not Recorded
Mine Feeding Method/s: Case
Mine Comment: Larvae are active from autumn till May mining the leaves of willow (Salix species). During the initial feeding the larva contrsucts a case adorned with hairs from the host plant and overwintering in the case. Feeding resumes in April when the larva continue to feed and mine until the end of May. The final case is characterised by being covered in white hairs and having a curved end.
*** Last updated on 5 April 2026 by TD ***
Last Recorded Year: 1963
Last Recorded By – Harrison & Sterling & DaNES Historic
Last Recorded General Area – Coombes Reservoir
Selected Images:
Image Gallery
No gallery images found for this moth.
Temporal Distribution Chart
(click legend below to show/hide datasets)
This chart summarises all available historical occurrence records collated by ISO week of the year. It reflects recorder effort and sampling distribution as well as true biological activity, and should be interpreted as an indicative pattern of seasonal occurrence rather than a statistically controlled abundance or phenology model.
Distribution Map for Coleophora albidella
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Bedrock Geology ** indirectly affects moth distribution by influencing the type of habitat and food plants available in an area. In turn, this may affect the types of moths that can thrive, or where they can most likely be found.
NBN Atlas UK Distribution for – Coleophora albidella
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Note – the NBN Atlas datasets are listed in the map below and vary in their currency (uptodateness) – however,
the map does give a general indication of the moth's distribution across the UK.
Monthly Records By Year:
Coleophora albidella
( data includes both Larvae and Adult Stages )
Monthly Counts By Year:
Coleophora albidella
( data is based on 'Adult' stage records only )
First/Last Recorded Dates: Coleophora albidella
Adult-only & Anything [Larvae, Pupae, Adult, Mines]
Shading shows moth presence between dates
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Recordings By Year: Coleophora albidella
( All data includes both Larvae and Adult Stages )
Annual Growth Rate (AGR): Coleophora albidella
AGR: 0% | Total % Change: 0%
Coleophora albidella
Insufficient records/data for an AGR analysis
Years Analysed: 2000 – 2026
Hectad (10kmx10km) Coverage: Coleophora albidella
( data includes both Larvae and Adult Stages )
Flight Periods – Indicative –vs– Recorded Data
Coleophora albidella
Coleophora albidella
Flight Period chart – the grey hatched area above, which can cross one or more months, pictorially represents the best guess we have for this moth's flight periods [month/s]. The coloured lines represent the actual months seen in flight, from site observation records received between 2020-2026.
Mine Periods – Indicative –vs– Recorded Data
Coleophora albidella
Coleophora albidella
( data includes both Larvae and Adult Stages )
Mine Period chart – the grey hatched area above, which can cross one or more months, pictorially represents the best guess we have for this moth's mine periods [month/s]. The coloured lines represent the actual months seen mining, from site observation records received between 2020-2026.
Records Behind the Map and Charts - Coleophora albidella – 0 records available
Listed by Year - descending - scroll across to see all table columns
No records found for Coleophora albidella.