| | Insects of Britain and Ireland: the pug moths (Lepidoptera-Geometridae) |
Trimaculata Haworth, ochreata Stephens, exiguaria Boisduval, lanceolaria Wood
Mottled Pug.
Adults. Posterior tibiae of males 4-spurred. Wingspan 21–25 mm. Forewings distinctly elongate; margin convexly curved; the costa more or less straight; apically somewhat pointed.
Forewings relatively conspicuously patterned to dingy; light grey, whitish mixed, with obtusely angulated rather dark fuscous striae and a biangulate postmedian fascia, the veins partially black-marked especially towards the posterior edge of this near the discal spot, the interrupted subterminal band conspicuously exhibiting three dark patches. The forewing patterning not restricted to dark discal or costal and discal spots. Forewings with a dark discal mark. The discal mark elongate to dot-like (sub-oval); not whitish-edged; black and distinct. Forewings without a tornal spot. Forewing fringes somewhat chequered (only indistinctly barred darker).
Hindwings grey-whitish, with grey striae more distinct dorsally and postmedianly; less conspicuously patterned than the forewings; fairly conspicuously patterned; transversely striated (usually, the striae sharp to faint), or without transverse striation; with a clear discal mark (this dark grey); the fringes not conspicuously chequered.
The abdomen conspicuously patterned, or plain; neither ringed nor banded nor white-based; in the male with a black lateral streak.
Genitalia. The male abdominal plate in the form of a single sclerotized patch with entire apex (this narrow-elongate from a broad base). The bursa copulatrix with ornamentation conspicuously restricted in distribution (distal); conspicuously spiny.
Early stages, ecology. Botanically polyphagous. Foodplants woody-dicotyledonous; Aceraceae, Berberidaceae, Caprifoliaceae, Cornaceae, Grossulariaceae, and Salicaceae. The larvae found on hawthorn, blackthorn, rowan, ash, maple, Berberis, Cornus, sallows, Ribes, Symphoricarpos, etc.; feeding on flowers, buds, and leafy shoots (?).
Months of appearance, distribution. Adults abroad May and June; larvae found August, September, and October. South-east England, Central-southern England, South-west England, English Midlands, Northern England, Southern Scotland, Northern Scotland, Wales, and Ireland (widespread and generally common except in Scotland).
Special key characters. Forewings light brown, or pale fuscous, or pale grey. The fifth and sixth fasciae twice markedly interrupted (i.e., above and below the middle). Forewings not reddish-tinged. Hindwings whitish, or light brown, or pale fuscous, or pale grey.
Illustrations. • E. exiguata (Mottled Pug), with larva: Barrett. Eupithecia exiguata, and larva. From Barrett, Plate 393. • E. exiguata (Mottled Pug), with similar Pugs: South. • E. exiguata (Mottled Pug), with other Pugs: Swain. 1, Eupithecia tenuiata (Slender Pug); 2, E. inturbata (Maple Pug); 3, E. haworthiata (Haworth's Pug); 4, E. plumbeolata (Lead-coloured Pug); 5, E. irriguata (Marbled Pug); 6, E. exiguata (Mottled Pug); 7a & 7b, E. abietaria (Cloaked Pug); 8, E. pygmaeata (Marsh Pug); 9, E. linariata (Toadflax Pug); 10a-c, E. pulchellata (Foxglove Pug); 11, E. insignata (Pinion-spotted Pug); 12, E. valerianata (Valerian Pug). Adapted from Swain, 1961. • E. exiguata (Mottled Pug), with other Pugs. 1, Eupithecia succenturiata (Bordered Pug); 2, E. exiguata (Mottled Pug); 3, E. haworthiata (Haworth's Pug); 4, E. insigniata (Pinion-spotted Pug); 5, E. expallidata (Bleached Pug). Adapted from Swain (1961). • E. exiguata (Mottled Pug), with other Pugs: Newman. 1, Eupithecia inturbata (Maple Pug); 2, E. haworthiata (Haworth's Pug); 3. E. plumbeolata (Lead-coloured Pug); 4, E. linariata (Toadflax Pug); 5, E. pulchellata (Foxglove Pug); E. irriguata (Marbled Pug); 7, E. exiguata (Mottled Pug); 8, E. insigniata (Pinion-spotted Pug); 9, E. pygmaeata (Marsh Pug); 10, E. venosata venosata (Netted Pug); 11, E. trisignaria (Triple-spotted Pug); 12, E. cauchiata (Guenee's Pug); 13, E. abietaria (Cloaked Pug); 14, E. expallidata (Bleached Pug); 15, E. subfuscata (Grey Pug); 16, E. subumbrata (Shaded Pug); 17, E. simpliciata (Plain Pug); 18, E. virgaureata (Golden-rod Pug); 19, E. abbreviata (Brindled Pug); 20, E. pusillata pusillata (Juniper Pug); 21, E. centaureata (Lime-speck Pug); 22, Chloroclystis v-ata (V-Pug); 23, Anticollix sparsata (Dentated Pug). From Newman (1869).
We advise against extracting comparative information from the descriptions. This is much more easily achieved using the DELTA data files or the interactive key, which allows access to the character list, illustrations, full and partial descriptions, diagnostic descriptions, differences and similarities between taxa, lists of taxa exhibiting or lacking specified attributes, and distributions of character states within any set of taxa. See also Guidelines for using data taken from Web publications.
Cite this publication as: ‘Watson, L., and Dallwitz, M.J. 2003 onwards. Insects of Britain and Ireland: the pug moths (Lepidoptera-Geometridae). Version: 27th July 2019. delta-intkey.com’.
