| Grey Pug (Eupithecia subfuscata (Haworth, 1809)) |
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Scientific name: Eupithecia subfuscata (Haworth, 1809) Common name: Grey Pug French name: Eupithécie noirâtre Order: Lepidoptera Suborder: Heterocera Family: Geometridae Subfamily: Larentiinae Wingspan: 17 to 21 mm. Biotope: Various habitats because of the large number of host plants. Geographic area: Palaearctic region, Near East and North America. Flight time: May to June then August to September. Number of generations : 2 Caterpillar: The caterpillar is greyish brown. It shows a row of dark diamond-shaped markings on the dorsal side ( this particularity is also found on many other species of the same genus). Host plant: Various plants and shrubs including Yarrow (Achillea millefolium), Sneezewort Yarrow (Achillea ptarmica), Knotgrass (Polygonum), Brambles (Rubus), Willows (Salix) and Hawthorns (Crataegus). |
The Eupithecia genus of the Geometridae family includes more than 1400 known species. They are found worldwide and at least 96 species are listed as present in metropolitan France (including Corsica). These are small moths with a typical resting position holding the costal edge of their fore wings at a right angle from the body. The fore wings are rather narrow with a rounded apex. Three quarter of the hind wings are then hidden below the fore wings. Telling species apart on picture is very difficult because of the large number of species and because of variations inside a single species. The Grey Pug shows brownish grey fore wings, darker near the base, near the margin and on the costal edge where you can distinguish well marked blackish spots. The fore wings, which bear a black discal spots, are crossed by wavy pale lines. You can clearly see the line close to the margin. The line touching the discal spot is slightly curved around this spot. The Golden-rod Pug (Eupithecia virgaureata) shows black dotted veins and the cross lines are generally not so well marked. The Larch Pug (Eupithecia laricata) bears a white spot on the upper side of the thorax. The Pauper Pug (Eupithecia egenaria) shows an elongated oblique discal spot. The cross lines are weakly marked. |
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This caterpillar is very similar of what I have seen on many pictures of Eupithecia subfuscata but the complexity of this genus and my lack of experience make me only list it as Eupithecia sp. |
André Bon August 2019