Common Fieldcap vs Common oak case-bearer

Agrocybe pediades compared with Coleophora lutipennella

Taxonomic Classification

Rank	Common Fieldcap	Common oak case-bearer
Kingdom	Fungi (Fungi)	Animalia (Animals)
Phylum	Basidiomycota (Club Fungi)	Arthropoda (Arthropods)
Class	Agaricomycetes (Mushrooms)	Insecta (Insects)
Order	Agaricales (Gilled Mushrooms)	Lepidoptera (Butterflies & Moths)
Family	Strophariaceae	Coleophoridae
Genus	Agrocybe	Coleophora
Species	Agrocybe pediades	Coleophora lutipennella

Conservation Status

Common Fieldcap

LC — Least Concern

Common oak case-bearer

LC — Least Concern

Physical Characteristics

Attribute	Common Fieldcap	Common oak case-bearer
Diet	—	—
Average Lifespan	—	—
Average Length	—	—
Average Weight	—	—

Habitat & Geographic Range

Common Fieldcap

Habitat

Typically found in forest floors, decomposing wood, and soil ecosystems.

Range

Found across Europe (5 countries) and North America (United States).

Common oak case-bearer

Habitat

Typically found in virtually all terrestrial and freshwater habitats.

Range

Distributed across Belgium, Denmark, Norway, and Sweden.

Common Fieldcap

The Common Fieldcap (<em>Agrocybe pediades</em>) is a saprotrophic fungus belonging to the genus Agrocybe within the family Strophariaceae. It typically produces small, tan to pale brown cap-shaped fruiting bodies and is often found growing in clusters or scattered on lawns, grassy areas, forest floors, decomposing wood, and soil-rich ecosystems. The species typically inhabits forest floors, decomposing wood, and soil ecosystems, obtaining nutrients by breaking down dead organic matter. Its geographic range includes several European countries — Belgium, Denmark, Norway, Portugal, and Sweden — as well as the United States in North America. <em>Agrocybe pediades</em> is assessed as Least Concern on the IUCN Red List, reflecting its broad distribution and apparent stability. Biological traits of this species, including specific data on fruiting body size, lifespan, and ecological preferences, remain poorly documented in the scientific literature. Like other members of its genus, it typically fruits during warmer months and often appears after rainfall in nutrient-rich grassland and woodland habitats.

Common oak case-bearer

<em>Coleophora lutipennella</em>, the common oak case-bearer, is a small moth in the family Coleophoridae. The larvae of this species construct characteristic portable cases from plant material and their own silk, from which they feed on the leaves of their host plant. <em>Coleophora lutipennella</em> is associated with oak trees (Quercus species), which serve as the primary larval host, and the moth typically inhabits deciduous woodland, forest edges, and hedgerows where oaks are present. Its geographic range spans temperate Europe, with documented occurrences in Belgium, Denmark, Norway, and Sweden. The species is currently assessed as Least Concern by the IUCN. Biological traits such as lifespan, body size, and diet remain poorly documented at a formal population level for this species, though larval feeding on oak foliage is well established. Adults are small and inconspicuous, typically flying in summer. <em>Coleophora lutipennella</em> is part of a diverse guild of Lepidoptera associated with European oak woodland ecosystems, and contributes to the invertebrate prey base for insectivorous birds and other woodland predators.

Shared Countries

Both species can be found in 4 countries:

🇧🇪 Belgium 🇩🇰 Denmark 🇳🇴 Norway 🇸🇪 Sweden