Geometridae : Larentiinae
Brindled Pug
EUPITHECIA abbreviata Stephens, 1831
Brindled Pug
EUPITHECIA abbreviata Stephens, 1831
Life Cycle Guide
Description
Wingspan: 19-22mm
Worldwide Distribution: Europe
UK Distribution: Resident : Well distributed and locally abundant in England,Wales,Mainland and lowland Scotland : Locally frequent on the Isle of Man : Scattered in Ireland.
UK Conservation Status -
Habitat: As food plants show-Woodland : Gardens : Hedgerows : Parks
Similar Species -
Ovum: The spherical shaped ovum is flattened across the width and covered in "dimples".
Larva: May-July : The larva is light brown with light brown bands around each of the abdominal segments and viewed from above the caterpillar has dark brown markings which fade between the segments.During the day the larva twists or contorts its body into a spiral when at rest.The young larvae feed on the flowers of the host plant.
Pupa: See above
Observations: The Brindled Pug E.abbreviata is the first of the pugs to appear as early as February in Southern England.
The moth forewing is usually brown and mottled with an long elongated central black spot. There is usually a whitish patch beyond this central dot with fine wavy cross lines across each wing.
The blackish or melanistic form is frequently recorded amongst the nominate form but is difficult to differentiate from otther pugs like its similar species Oak-tree Pug E.dodoneata except possibly by forewing shape.
Another of the moths attracted to light this moth can often be found by checking tree trunks,fences or walls the following morning. Flies from dusk.
Worldwide Distribution: Europe
UK Distribution: Resident : Well distributed and locally abundant in England,Wales,Mainland and lowland Scotland : Locally frequent on the Isle of Man : Scattered in Ireland.
UK Conservation Status -
- Common = >300 10Km squares
- Least Concern
- Eupithecia abbreviata Stephens 1831
- [Phalaena] absinthiata Clerck, 1759
- Not Specified
Habitat: As food plants show-Woodland : Gardens : Hedgerows : Parks
Similar Species -
- Oak-tree Pug Eupithecia odoneata Guenée, 1857
Ovum: The spherical shaped ovum is flattened across the width and covered in "dimples".
Larva: May-July : The larva is light brown with light brown bands around each of the abdominal segments and viewed from above the caterpillar has dark brown markings which fade between the segments.During the day the larva twists or contorts its body into a spiral when at rest.The young larvae feed on the flowers of the host plant.
Pupa: See above
Observations: The Brindled Pug E.abbreviata is the first of the pugs to appear as early as February in Southern England.
The moth forewing is usually brown and mottled with an long elongated central black spot. There is usually a whitish patch beyond this central dot with fine wavy cross lines across each wing.
The blackish or melanistic form is frequently recorded amongst the nominate form but is difficult to differentiate from otther pugs like its similar species Oak-tree Pug E.dodoneata except possibly by forewing shape.
Another of the moths attracted to light this moth can often be found by checking tree trunks,fences or walls the following morning. Flies from dusk.
Photo Gallery
Larval Food Plants Worldwide
Note - Plants hyperlinked in red below take the visitor to the relevant plant page on"Plants for a Future" website
where further information like photos,physical
characteristics,habitats,edible uses,medicinal
uses,cultivation,propagation,range,height etc. are clearly listed.
- Plant Families - in bold red below takes the visitor to the relevant "Lepi-plants" page where other butterflies & moths using the plants below are listed.
- Fagaceae - Oak - Chestnut - Beech Family
- Quercus cerris - Turkey Oak
- Quercus petraea - Sessile Oak
- Quercus robur - Pedunculate Oak - Common Oak
- Poaceae - Gramineae - True Grasses Family
- Zea mays - Sweetcorn
- Rosaceae - The Rose Family
- Crataegus monogyna - Hawthorn
Larval Food Plants
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Taxonomy
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Kingdom:
Subkingdom: Phylum: Subphylum: Class: Order: Superfamily: Family: Subfamily: Tribe: Genus: Accepted Species Name: Type Species - EUPITHECIA: Original Species Name: Genus Names: Literary Ref: Type Locality: Forms/Aberrations: |
Animalia
Eumetozoa Arthropoda Hexapoda Insecta Lepidoptera Geometroidea Geometridae Larentiinae Eupitheciini EUPITHECIA Curtis, 1825 Eupithecia abbreviata Stephens, 1831 - [Phalaena] absinthiata Clerck, 1759 - EUPITHECIA abbreviata Stephens 1831 - EUPITHECIA Curtis 1825 = Tephroclystia Hübner 1825 - Illustrations of British entomology; or, A synopsis of indigenous insects: containing their generic and specific distinctions. By James Francis Stephens v.3 : Title Page : p.283 - sp.12 - Not Specified - E.a.f.hirschkei Bastelberger, 1908-Forewing light brown-grey,black distal streak E.a.f.nigra Cockayne, 1953-Black,less melanic form E.a.f.obsoleta Lempke, 1969-Markings almost missing E.a.f.striata Lempke, 1951-Light background,wing veins underlined with black tone E.a.f.impuncta Lempke, 1969-Distal spot possibly missing E.a.f.pallifasciata Lempke, 1969-Media area very light coloured |
