ASPECTS OF THE BIOLOGY, TAXONOMY AND CONTROL OF SPECIES OF COLEOPHORA (LEPIDOPTERA: COLEOPHORIDAE) PRESENTIN CHILE

Abstract

Coleophora versurella and C. mayrella are cosmopolitan species that were introduced in Chile. In Chile
the larvae of C. versurella feed on Amaranthus hybridus and occasionally on Chenopodium álbum. Females
oviposit on the surface of leaves or on leaf buds. The early instar larvae do not make cases and are confíned
inside leaves as miners. In the later instars the larvae begin to construct cases made of silk and covered with
feeding debris that are characteristic of Coleophoridae. Only last instar larvae occasionally occur on
asparagus shoots, which they do not feed upon but use for pupation sites. In Chile, C. versurella is distributed
from regions V to IX. C. mayrella is distributed from IX to X regions and its larvae feed on seeds of Trífolium
repens.