V-pug (Chloroclystis v-ata (Haworth, 1809))
Scientific name: Chloroclystis v-ata (Haworth, 1809)
Common name: V-pug
French name: Eupithécie couronnée, Eupithécie de la salicaire.
Order: Lepidoptera
Suborder: Heterocera
Family: Geometridae
Subfamily: Larentiinae
Wingspan: 14-19 mm.
Biotope: Forest edges, hedges, orchards, parks.
Geographic area: Palearctic region, from Europe to Japan, Near East, North Africa.
Flight time: April to September.
Number of generations : 2 (1 in the northern regions).
Caterpillar: Greenish, pinkish, or greyish with 3 reddish longitudinal lines and triangular dorsal markings. The base of the triangle is delimited by a white line and the other two sides are straight. The caterpillar of the White-spotted Pug (Eupithecia tripunctaria) also has triangular dorsal markings, but the base is not straight and the other two sides are distinctly concave.
Host plant: The caterpillars feed on the flowers of various low growing plants including Clematis (Clematis), Brambles (Rubus), Lilacs (Syringa), Honeysuckle (Lonicera), Hawthorns (Crataegus), Purple Loosestrife (Lythrum salicaria), etc.
The V-pug has green forewings that can turn greyish in older individuals.
You can distinguish the start of a black antemedian band near the costal edge which may continue to the internal edge by a curved band often weakly marked.
You can also distinguish the start of a well-marked black postmedian band, near the costal edge, drawing a point that resembles the letter V.
The hindwings are greyish.
The V-pug overwinters as a chrysalis.

V-pug (Chloroclystis v-ata) - Yvelines, France - April 24th 2019
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V-pug (Chloroclystis v-ata)
The start of the antemedian band is not really well marked but the green colour and the V-shaped mark of the postmedian band allow the identification of the V-pug.


V-pug (Chloroclystis v-ata) - Yvelines, France - May 17th 2022
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V-pug (Chloroclystis v-ata)
Every year I pick elderflowers to make an excellent aperitif.
I found this caterpillar there before dipping the umbels into the white wine.
I took some pictures and went to place it on another flowering Elderberry.


V-pug (Chloroclystis v-ata) - Yvelines, France - May 17th 2022
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V-pug (Chloroclystis v-ata)
The edges of the triangles are very straight and the base is delimited by a white line, allowing us to confirm the identification of the caterpillar of the V-pug.

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