Geometridae : Larentiinae
Tawny Speckled Pug
EUPITHECIA icterata (Villers, 1789)
Tawny Speckled Pug
EUPITHECIA icterata (Villers, 1789)
Kind permission - © Tim Norriss
Life Cycle Guide
Description
Wingspan: 20-24mm
Worldwide Distribution: Europe - ( excluding - Azores, Balearic Is.,Canary Is.,Crete,Cyprus, Madeira,Malta,Portugal & Sardinia) : Western Palearctic Region including Morocco
UK Distribution: Mainland Britain - well distributed : Isle of Man - widespread but occasional : Ireland -- tends to be under recorded : Channel Isles - local and occasional
UK Conservation Status -
Habitat: Meadows : Embankments : Gardens : Hedgerows : Roadside Verges
Similar Species -
Overwinters as: Pupa
Observations: A rather large pug it has two distinct forms of which E.i.f.subfulvata Haworth, 1809 is the nominate and common form, shown in photos 1 and 2 below. The centre of the forewing is covered in russet-brown whereas the second local form E.i.f.cognata Stephens, 1831 has the forewing pale/lead grey with small triangular median area in russet-brown,and cross lines oblique,angled, with black distinct discal spot.
E.i.f.cognata Stephens, 1831 tends to predominate in northern Britain,especially in Scotland.
Flies from dusk and is attracted to the light trap,usually appearing in small numbers.
Worldwide Distribution: Europe - ( excluding - Azores, Balearic Is.,Canary Is.,Crete,Cyprus, Madeira,Malta,Portugal & Sardinia) : Western Palearctic Region including Morocco
UK Distribution: Mainland Britain - well distributed : Isle of Man - widespread but occasional : Ireland -- tends to be under recorded : Channel Isles - local and occasional
UK Conservation Status -
- E.i.f.subfulvata Haworth, 1809 - Common = > 300 10km squares
- E.i.f.cognata Stephens, 1831 - Local = 101 - 300 10km squares
- Least Concern
- Phalaena icterata (Villers, 1789)
- Phalaena absinthiata Clerck, 1759
- Europe
Habitat: Meadows : Embankments : Gardens : Hedgerows : Roadside Verges
Similar Species -
- None
Overwinters as: Pupa
Observations: A rather large pug it has two distinct forms of which E.i.f.subfulvata Haworth, 1809 is the nominate and common form, shown in photos 1 and 2 below. The centre of the forewing is covered in russet-brown whereas the second local form E.i.f.cognata Stephens, 1831 has the forewing pale/lead grey with small triangular median area in russet-brown,and cross lines oblique,angled, with black distinct discal spot.
E.i.f.cognata Stephens, 1831 tends to predominate in northern Britain,especially in Scotland.
Flies from dusk and is attracted to the light trap,usually appearing in small numbers.
Forms
E.i.f.subfulvata Haworth, 1809 - Nominate form - forewing extensively covered russet-brown
E.i.f.subfulvata Haworth, 1809 - Nominate form - forewing extensively covered russet-brown
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.
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.
- Asteraceae - Compositae - Aster-Daisy - Sunflower Family
- Achillea millefolium - Yarrow
- Achillea ptarmica - Sneeze-wort
- Artemesia absinthium - Wormwood
- Artemesia campestris - Field Southernwood
- Artemesia vulgaris - Mugwort
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: |
Animalia
Eumetozoa Arthropoda Hexapoda Insecta Lepidoptera Geometroidea Geometridae Larentiinae Eupitheciini EUPITHECIA Curtis, 1825 Eupithecia icterata (Villers, 1789) - Phalaena absinthiata Clerck, 1759 - Phalaena icterata (Villers, 1789) - EUPITHECIA Curtis, 1825 = Tephroclystia Hübner [1825] - Caroli Linnaei Entomologia,Fauna Suecica : Title page : (t2 - 1789) : p.382 - n.630 - Europe - E.i.f.subfulvata Haworth, 1809 - nominate form - forewing extensively covered russet-brown E.i.f.cognata Stephens, 1831 - forewing pale/lead grey with triangular median area in russet,cross lines oblique,angled with black distinct discal spot . E.i.f.obscura Lempke, 1969 - wings have extensive covering of blackish smokey finish especially distally |