Bug FAQMetallic Coleophora Moth
Coleophora mayrella · Order: Lepidoptera · Family: Coleophoridae
Also called: Banded clover case bearer, Meadow Case-bearer, Metallic casebearer
The metallic Coleophora moth has a wingspan of about 10 to 12 mm. Adults fly in daylight and at night, being on the wing from May to August in North America and in June-July in western Europe.
Source: Wikipedia
How to recognize it
It shows metallic green coloring with bronze scales covering about two-fifths of its body and has antennae ringed in black and white.
Source: Wikipedia
Size
The wingspan ranges from 10 to 12 mm (0.39 to 0.47 in).
Source: Wikipedia
Where it lives
It occurs throughout the United States and southern Canada, and has also been recorded in New Zealand, Chile and Argentina.
Source: Wikipedia
When you see it
Adults are active during the day and after dark. In western Europe they fly in June and July; in North America they are on wing from May to August.
Source: Wikipedia
Where it comes from
It is native to Europe and Armenia.
Source: Wikipedia
Lookalikes
It can be confused with Coleophora deauratella, which differs by having grey antennae for most of their length and a white tip.
Source: Wikipedia
Where it is found in the US
Recorded in 33 of 51 states and DC. Most records: Ohio, Washington, New York, Maryland, Alabama, Pennsylvania, Connecticut, Massachusetts.
Darker = more records. Counts are museum and citizen-science records, not population size.
Source: GBIF
Status: introduced in United States. Source: iNaturalist
Months it is reported in the US
Source: GBIF
More photos
Questions people ask
When are these moths active?
They fly both in daylight and after dark, typically from May to August in North America and in June-July in western Europe.
Source: Wikipedia
How can I tell this moth apart from similar species?
Look for the black-and-white ringed antennae and bronze scales covering about two-fifths of the body; the similar Coleophora deauratella has mostly grey antennae with a white tip.
Source: Wikipedia
Sources
- Wikipedia: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Coleophora_mayrella
Look it up elsewhere: GBIF · iNaturalist · BugGuide · Wikipedia
Text written 2026-10-25 from the sources above and checked sentence by sentence against them. Data fetched 2026-10-25.