Hantsmoths

Nationally scarce (Nb) in woodland, grassland, cliffs, sand-dunes and saltmarshes throughout much of the British Isles, reaching the Orkney Islands, but very rare or absent from the eastern and east Midland counties (MBGBI Vol 3). In Hampshire largely restricted to areas such as Parnholt Wood, Botley Wood and Havant Thicket, and rare on the coast; there have been a few recent records from the New Forest. Recorded on the Isle of Wight for the first time in over 50 years at Parkhurst Forest in 2010. Wingspan 10-13 mm. Like many of the Coleophora, imagines are virtually impossible to identify without recourse to dissection, and the larvae, which live in cases of characteristic form and which can sometimes be found on the foodplant, may be easier to identify by comparison against a reference collection. Larva feeds on seeds of Goldenrod and Sea Aster, living within a movable case. The case is similar to that C. asteris.

VC8 Wiltshire (Hants county)

VC10 Isle of Wight

VC11 South Hampshire