FEEDING PATTERNS OF THE LARCH CASEBEARER COLEOPHORA-LARICELLA HBN (LEP, COLEOPHORIDAE) ON EUROPEAN LARCH

Feeding patterns of the larch casebearer Coleophora laricella Hbn. wer e investigated for eggs, 2nd/3rd instars, 4th instars and pupae in a 2 1-year-old larch stand. No significant differences occurred between th e infestation rates of border- and within-stand-trees; no preferences were found for cardinal points. Clear preferences were detected for di stal twig sections. There seems to be a tendency to higher densities i n the middle parts of larch crowns. Larch trees in the direct neighbou rhood of beech showed significantly lower moth densities than larch in pure stands. This may be a result of different physiological interact ions between moth and host tree in pure or mixed stands, respectively.