Grey pug

{{Use dmy dates|date=November 2018}} {{short description|Species of moth}} {{Speciesbox | name = Grey pug | image = Eupithecia_subfuscata.jpg | genus = Eupithecia | species = subfuscata | authority = (Haworth, 1809)<ref>{{cite web |last=Yu |first=Dicky Sick Ki |url=http://www.taxapad.com/local.php?taxonidLC=82853667 |title=''Eupithecia subfuscata'' (Haworth 1809) |website=Home of Ichneumonoidea |publisher=Taxapad |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160324230941/http://www.taxapad.com/local.php?taxonidLC=82853667 |archive-date=March 24, 2016}}</ref> | synonyms={{Collapsible list| *''Eupithecia blancheata'' Cooke, 1881 *''Eupithecia castigaria'' Boisduval, 1840 *''Geometra castigata'' Hubner, 1813 *''Eupithecia castigata'' *''Eupithecia compressata'' Guenée, 1858 *''Eupithecia implicata'' Walker, 1862 *''Tephroclystia latipennis'' Hulst, 1898 *''Eupithecia latipennis'' *''Eupithecia ichinosawana'' Matsumura, 1925 *''Eupithecia latimarginata'' Matsumura, 1925}} }} The '''grey pug''' ('''''Eupithecia subfuscata''''') is a moth of the family Geometridae. It is found throughout the Palearctic region. It is also found in North America. Since it does not place any special demands on climatic conditions, special caterpillar food plants, geological subsoil or the like it is a typical species of almost any Hochstaudenflur (plant corridor), where it occurs in the herb layer, in bushes and even on deciduous trees. It can be found on forest edges and hedgerows, on heath, in rocky places and wetlands, parks and gardens, as well as in villages and town centres.

==Subspecies== There are two subspecies: *''Eupithecia subfuscata subfuscata'' *''Eupithecia subfuscata ussuriensis'' Dietze 1910 (Russian Far East, Japan)

[[Image:Eupithecia subfuscata, Grey Pug, Bury Ditches, England, May 2014 (20921822658).jpg|thumb|230px|left|''Eupithecia subfuscata'' Bury Ditches, England, May 2014]] ==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.<ref>[http://delta-intkey.com/britin/pug/www/subfusca.htm ''Eupithecia subfuscata'' full description] Watson, L., and Dallwitz, M.J. 2003 onwards. British insects: the genera of Lepidoptera-Geometridae. Version: 29 December 2011</ref> Melanism is quite common in this species. The wingspan is 17–21 mm. See also Prout <ref>Prout, L. B. (1912–16). Geometridae. In A. Seitz (ed.) ''The Macrolepidoptera of the World''. The Palaearctic Geometridae, 4. 479 pp. Alfred Kernen, Stuttgart.[https://archive.org/details/macrolepidoptera1216seit pdf] {{PD-notice}}</ref><ref>Vladimir Mironov: The Geometrid Moths of the World. In: Axel Hausmann (Hrsg.): ''The Geometrid Moths of Europe''. 1. Auflage. Volume 4: Larentiinae II. Perizomini and Eupitheciini. Apollo Books, Stenstrup 2003, {{ISBN|87-88757-40-4}}</ref><ref> Riley, A.M. and Prior, G. ''British and Irish Pug Moths A Guide to their Identification and Biology'' Apollo Books {{ISBN|978-0-946589-51-7}}</ref> <ref name="gb">Wikisource:The Moths of the British Isles Second Series/Chapter 9#230</ref> thumb| 140px|left|Larvae after final moult & enlarged detail of segments

Final instar larvae are smooth and elongated. They are grey-green or red-brown coloured and show a grey-green to dark olive-green diamond-like pattern on the back. The side edges are whitish.The pupa is yellow-brown with greenish wing sheaths. At the cremaster there are six hook bristles, the middle pair of which is more powerfully formed. thumb|150px|left|Male genitalia ==Similar species== *''Eupithecia virgaureata'' *''Eupithecia lariciata'' A safe determination is usually only possible by means of a genital morphological examination.

==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.{{cn|date=August 2020}}

*''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== {{Reflist}} *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

==External links== *[https://www.ukmoths.org.uk/species/eupithecia-subfuscata/ Grey pug at ''UKMoths''] *[http://www.lepiforum.de/lepiwiki.pl?Eupithecia_Subfuscata ''Lepiforum e.V.'']

Category:Eupithecia Category:Moths described in 1809 Category:Moths of Asia Category:Moths of Europe Category:Moths of North America Category:Taxa named by Adrian Hardy Haworth