Cigar Casebearer – Coleophora serratella

Cigar Casebearer   Scientific Name:  Coleophora serratella Common Name:  Cigar casebearer, birch casebearer Appearance:  Cigar casebearer is a greyish-brown moth with a wingspan of 11 to 14 mm. The fore wings are pointed while the hind wings are fringed, giving it a characteristic appearance. It has a pale yellow larva that forms a cigar-like case on itself and carries it wherever it goes. Hence called a cigar casebearer. Host Plants or Food: Cigar casebearer primarily feeds on the leaves of apple and birch trees. However, they can also be seen on some other fruit-bearing trees of the Rosaceae family, such as peach and quince trees. Territory: Throughout North America and Europe Mode of Damage:  They are leaf chewers and chew on the foliage, mainly the epidermis and cause them to turn brown and eventually die. Habits and Life History: Cigar casebearer is found in gardens and orchids with apple, pear, and birch trees.  They lay eggs on the leaves, giving rise to a pale yellow larva that feeds on the foliage and builds a case out of it. The larva feeds throughout the fall and finally hides inside its case during the winter to hibernate. Adults emerge from their cases in spring and continue the lifecycle and feeding. The brown, leafy case helps them camouflage in their surroundings, thus protecting them from enemies.