Grey pug
The grey pug (Eupithecia subfuscata) is a moth of the family Geometridae. It is found throughout the Palearctic region and the Near East. It is also found in North America.
| Grey pug | |
|---|---|
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Scientific classification  | |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Arthropoda |
| Class: | Insecta |
| Order: | Lepidoptera |
| Family: | Geometridae |
| Genus: | Eupithecia |
| Species: | E. subfuscata |
| Binomial name | |
| Eupithecia subfuscata | |
| Synonyms | |
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List
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Subspecies
There are two subspecies:
- Eupithecia subfuscata subfuscata
- Eupithecia subfuscata ussuriensis Dietze 1910 (Russian Far East, Japan)
Description
The forewings of this species are grey (occasionally with an ochreous tinge) marked with pale fascia and radial lines which give it a mottled appearance. There is a pale sub-marginal line and a small discal spot. The hindwings are much paler and plainer also with a small black discal spot.[2] Melanism is quite common in this species. The wingspan is 17–21 mm.
Biology
The adults fly in May and June with a second brood sometimes emerging in August. The species flies at night and is attracted to light.
The species overwinters as a pupa.
Larval food plants
The larva feeds on the leaves and flowers of a wide range of plants.
- Abies – fir
- Achillea
- Aegopodium – ground-elder
- Alnus – alder
- Angelica
- Artemisia
- Betula – birch
- Centaurea
- Cirsium – creeping thistle
- Comptonia – sweetfern
- Epilobium – willowherb
- Filipendula – meadowsweet
- Galium – bedstraw
- Hypericum – St John's wort
- Larix – larch
- Lysimachia – yellow loosestrife
- Malus – apple
- Ononis – restharrow
- Picea – black spruce
- Populus – poplar
- Rubus – raspberry
- Salix – willow
- Scabiosa
- Solidago – goldenrod
- Tanacetum – tansy
- Urtica – nettle
- Valeriana – valerian
References
- Yu, Dicky Sick Ki. "Eupithecia subfuscata (Haworth 1809)". Home of Ichneumonoidea. Taxapad. Archived from the original on 24 March 2016.
- Eupithecia subfuscata full description Watson, L., and Dallwitz, M.J. 2003 onwards. British insects: the genera of Lepidoptera-Geometridae. Version: 29 December 2011
- Chinery, Michael Collins Guide to the Insects of Britain and Western Europe 1986 (Reprinted 1991)
- Skinner, Bernard Colour Identification Guide to Moths of the British Isles 1984