Review of 2019 and 2020 - Moths: Geometers (Geometridae) - part 7: Pugs II (Eupithecia II)

GEOMETERS (GEOMETRIDAE) (continued)


Brindled Pug Eupithecia abbreviata - Totals of 9 between 30th March and 26th May 2019 (the last being my latest ever) and 13 between 9th April and 8th May 2020.  This compares with an average here of 12-13 a year.  Elsewhere 4 at the meadows, one at Sculthorpe Moor, one at Cranwich Heath and 4 in the Lake District (Keswick and Borrowdale).

Brindled Pug, North Elmham, 30th March 2019

male Brindled Pug, North Elmham, 26th May 2019

Brindled Pug, Cranwich Heath, 14th March 2020

Oak-tree Pug Eupithecia dodoneata - One in the garden trap on 16th May 2019.  None in 2020.  I've had a blank year here before (2018) but apart from these and 5 in 2017, it's been one a year every other year.

male Oak-tree Pug, North Elmham, 16th May 2019

Juniper Pug Eupithecia pusillata - None.  I've only ever had one here, in 2015 (and before that 2 at my last house in Bawdeswell in 2012).


Cypress Pug Eupithecia phoeniceata - None.  One in my garden in 2016 was only the 5th county record but this species is increasing so there must be a fair chance of catching another.  However the neighbour's big leylandii hedge that was there in 2016 has now been chopped down (no bad thing) so that will reduce my chances of a repeat any time soon.


White-spotted Pug Eupithecia tripunctaria - One in the garden trap on 7th August 2019.  This was my fourth record here with singles in 2015, 2016 and 2017.  This one was very worn and needed an intimate examination to ensure the ID was correct (in fact I don't think I even suspected it before I'd caught sight of her bits).  None in 2020.

female White-spotted Pug, North Elmham, 7th August 2019

Golden-rod Pug Eupithecia virgaureata - My first example of this moth was trapped at our holiday accommodation in Carsaig on Mull on 13th June 2019.  It was too worn to positively ID without dissection although I thought it was going to turn out to be something interesting.  This species does occur in Norfolk but is pretty rare except at one or two sites in the north west of the county.

female Golden-rod Pug, Carsaig (Mull), 13th June 2019

Dwarf Pug Eupithecia tantillaria - I'd seen 7 Dwarf Pugs at 4 locations between 2012 and 2014 but hadn't seen any more anywhere since moving here in 2014, so it was a nice surprise to find one in my garden trap on 21st May 2020.  I still have no idea what possessed someone to call this relatively large pug a Dwarf Pug.

male Dwarf Pug, North Elmham, 21st May 2020

Larch Pug Eupithecia lariciata - One at Ceann Chnocain on Mull on 13th June was my first ever (and was another worn pug that required gen detting to resolve).  Although scarce in Norfolk there are a few records quite close to me so hopefully I'll get one here sometime.  I'm not sure that there are any larches in the immediate vicinity though, so that won't help me get one in my garden.

female Larch Pug, Ceann Chnocain (Mull), 13th June 2019

Plain Pug Eupithecia simpliciata - 2019 and 2020 were quite good years for this species and I took the opportunity to record my first ever, trapped in my garden on 24th July 2019, swiftly followed by one at the meadows two nights later (which I actually identified before the one in my garden), and then another in my garden on 4th August 2020.  These are the first records for my 10km square - it's normally quite a scarce moth although there are widespread records across the county.  Of all the pugs that could be called plain, this is quite low down on the list - bit like the Dwarf Pug that isn't dwarf.

Plain Pug, North Elmham, 24th July 2019

Plain Pug, North Elmham Cathedral Meadows, 26th July 2019

Plain Pug, North Elmham, 4th August 2020

Narrow-winged Pug Eupithecia nanata - None.  I've had singles here in 2015, 2016 and 2017 but not since.  It's common enough on heaths but seems relatively hard to find in other habitats.


Angle-barred Pug Eupithecia innotata - I've never found this species in Norfolk but I caught my first one overnight on 13th June 2019 while staying at Carsaig on Mull.  With plenty of its foodplants growing at the meadows and a scattering of records in mid Norfolk I hope to find this species locally before too long.

female Angle-barred Pug, Carsaig (Mull), 13th June 2019

Ochreous Pug Eupithecia indigata - Singles caught at home on 16th May 2019 and 21st May 2020, the first times I've caught this species here.  Also one at the meadows on 25th May 2019 and singles at Frost's Common and Hills and Holes on 21st May 2020.

Ochreous Pug, North Elmham, 16th May 2019

Ochreous Pug, North Elmham, 21st May 2020

Thyme Pug Eupithecia distinctaria - The first of 4 pug lifers I caught on Mull, and at least in the sense that this isn't a Norfolk species, the best of the 4.  I caught this one at the place we were staying at Carsaig on 10th June 2019.

female Thyme Pug, Carsaig (Mull), 10th June 2019

Lime-speck Pug Eupithecia centaureata - In 2019 singles recorded in the garden on 28th and 29th May and then on 4 dates between 4th and 27th August.  I average over 11 a year here so 6 wasn't a great showing but 2020 made up for it with one on 17th June and 20 between 4th and 27th August.  These included 5 on 8th August and 3 counts of 3 - I'd not had more than 2 in a night here before.  Elsewhere 3 at the meadows on 25th May 2019, one there on 3rd September 2019, and singles at Hellesdon, Hills and Holes and Brancaster.

Lime-speck Pug, North Elmham Cathedral Meadows, 25th May 2019

Pinion-spotted Pug Eupithecia insigniata - None.  I've never seen this species and although there are a few records away from the main parts of its Norfolk range (Brecks and NW Norfolk) there aren't any from round here so perhaps not very likely to turn up here.


Triple-spotted Pug Eupithecia trisignaria - None.  I caught a couple here in 2016 but none in other years.


Freyer's Pug Eupithecia intricata - Singles in the garden here on 24th and 29th June 2019 and 4 between 8th and 26th June 2020.  This species isn't quite annual here but about 2 a year is average.  This is one of a handful of moths that I used to record far more frequently at my old house in Bawdeswell, although looking at NorfolkMoths it looks like my time here coincided with a couple of exceptionally good years for the species generally.

Freyer's Pug, North Elmham, 6th June 2020

Satyr Pug Eupithecia satyrata - None in the garden which was a bit disappointing after catching 4 of these over the previous 3 years.  Elsewhere I tentatively identified a caterpillar on Fleabane at Foxley Wood as this species, but reading the new caterpillars book now I'm not sure if this is a safe ID (comments welcome!).

possible Satyr Pug caterpillar, Foxley Wood, 17th August 2019

Wormwood Pug Eupithecia absinthiata - One caught in the garden on 19th July 2019 and 3 between 8th and 29th July 2020.  I had been averaging 7 a year so these were poor years.  I find this species much harder than some people seem to think it is to separate from some Currant Pugs as size overlaps and none of the supposed differences in pattern (e.g. prominence of dark spots or band at base of abdomen) seem to be reliable.  Wing shape seems can be the best feature to use but this can be confusing and I've had lots that have looked one way at first and the other way on second look.  On occasion I find really clear examples and sometimes I make do with measuring their wing length but more often I resort to checking genitalia (as I did with all 4 of these).

male Wormwood Pug, North Elmham, 19th July 2019

female Wormwood Pug, North Elmham, 8th July 2020

female Wormwood Pug, North Elmham, 24th July 2020

female Wormwood Pug, North Elmham, 29th July 2020

Valerian Pug Eupithecia valerianata - None.  I've never caught this species here and there aren't any records for my 10km square but although it's not common, there are widespread enough records to make me think I could get it here sometime.


Currant Pug Eupithecia assimilata - 5 caught in my garden between 16th July and 26th August 2019 and 7 between 8th May and 22nd August 2020.  These were poor years - I've averaged 15 a year here.  Elsewhere one on Mull on 13th June 2019.  I record a slightly higher proportion of these without gen det compared to Wormwood Pug but I check a few every year.

male Currant Pug, North Elmham, 26th August 2019

male Currant Pug, North Elmham, 8th May 2020

male Currant Pug, North Elmham, 10th August 2020

male Currant Pug, North Elmham, 12th August 2020

male Currant Pug, North Elmham, 16th August 2020

Next page: more Geometridae

Garden Garden Tiger

There were two additions to the garden list on Tuesday 18th July, both very distinctive species.  The first was the beautifully-marked Orange Pine Tortrix Lozotaeniodes formosana, a species I've encoutered at a few sites but never at home until now.

Orange Pine Tortrix Lozotaeniodes formosana, North Elmham, 18th July

The second was another easily recognised species, once common in gardens but sadly now quite rare across much of the county.  It remains common in the Broads and along the north coast but is now much less frequently encountered elsewhere, so I was very pleased to get one at home - a Garden Tiger.

Garden Tiger, North Elmham, 18th July

Wainscot Smudge Ypsolopha scabrella, Grey Poplar Bell Epinotia nisella and White-spotted Pug were new for the year here.

Wainscot Smudge Ypsolopha scabrella, North Elmham, 18th July

Grey Poplar Bell Epinotia nisella, North Elmham, 18th July

White-spotted Pug, North Elmham, 18th July

Other highlights included Grey-streaked Smudge Plutella porrectella, Body-marked Case-bearer Coleophora clypeiferella and no less than 5 Elephant Hawk-moths.

Other moths were 2 Bird’s-nest Moths Tinea trinotella, 2 Horse Chestnut Leaf-miners Cameraria ohridella, Hawthorn Argent Argyresthia bonnetella, 3 Bird-cherry Ermines Yponomeuta evonymella, Little Ermel Swammerdamia pyrella, 2 Brown House Moths Hofmannophila pseudospretella, Long-horned Flat-body Carcina quercana, 3 Common Flat-bodies Agonopterix heracliana, Dark Groundling Bryotropha affinis, 3 Cinereous Groundlings Bryotropha terrella, Dingy Dowd Blastobasis adustella, Common Cosmet Mompha epilobiella, Plain Conch Phtheochroa inopiana, Hook-marked Straw Moth Agapeta hamana, Dark Fruit-tree Tortrix Pandemis heparana, Light Brown Apple Moth Epiphyas postvittana, 2 Dover Shades Cnephasia genitalana, White-triangle Button Acleris holmiana, 3 Garden Rose Tortrixes Acleris variegana, Barred Marble Celypha striana, Common Cloaked Shoot Gypsonoma dealbana, Bud Moth Spilonota ocellana, 6 Marbled Piercers Cydia splendana, Codling Moth Cydia pomonella, 4 Garden Grass-veneers Chrysoteuchia culmella, Grass-veneer Crambus pascuella, Yellow Satin Veneer Crambus perlella, 17 Pearl Veneers Agriphila straminella, Common Grass-veneer Agriphila tristella, 4 Pearl Grass-veneers Catoptria pinella, Base-lined Grey Scoparia basistrigalis, 3 Little Greys Eudonia lacustrata, 5 Small Greys Eudonia mercurella, Chequered Straw Evergestis pallidata, Pale Straw Pearl Udea lutealis, 28 Mother of Pearls Pleuroptya ruralis, Double-striped Tabby Hypsopygia glaucinalis, 4 Rosy Tabbies Endotricha flammealis, White Plume Pterophorus pentadactyla, 3 Chinese Characters, Blood-vein, Lesser Cream Wave, Least Carpet, 5 Small Fan-footed Waves, 5 Single-dotted Waves, 2 Riband Waves, 2 Red Twin-spot Carpets, Large Twin-spot Carpet, Small Rivulet, Currant Pug, 2 Double-striped Pugs, Brimstone Moth, 4 Early Thorns, Scalloped Oak, Peppered Moth, 2 Yellow-tails, Black Arches, 2 Rosy Footmen, 12 Dingy Footmen, 5 Scarce Footmen, Buff Footman, 11 Common Footmen, Buff Ermine, 2 Ruby Tigers, Heart and Dart, Shuttle-shaped Dart, 2 Flame Shoulders, 4 Large Yellow Underwings, 4 Double Square-spots, 4 Nutmegs, Smoky Wainscot, Grey Dagger, 2 Dun-bars, 4 Dark Arches, Cloaked Minor, 2 Common Rustics, 5 Dusky Sallows, 3 Uncertains, 3 Rustics, 4 Nut-tree Tussocks, Beautiful Hook-tip, 2 Snouts and 2 Fan-foots.

The micro caddisfly Ithytrichia lamellaris was a first for me.

Ithytrichia lamellaris (female), North Elmham, 18th July

A good selection of other caddisflies included Oxyethira falcata, Ecnomus tenellus, 2 Hydropsyche siltalai, 2 Hydropsyche pellucidula, 2 Limnephilus lunatus, Limnephilus sparsus and  Ceraclea dissimilis.

There were a few lacewings too: 2 Cunctochrysa albolineata, 9 Dichochrysa flavifrons, 2 Micromus variegatus.  Mayflies included 2 Pond Olives Cloeon dipterum and a Blue-winged Olive Serratella ignita.  The only beetle was an Orange Ladybird.

A troublesome little plume

Among the catch on 10th August was a small pale plume moth.  It keyed out fairly straightforwardly as far as either Citron Plume Euleioptilus carphodactyla or Hemp-agrimony Plume Adaina microdactyla and given its pale lemon-yellow colouration I anticipated it would prove to be carphodactyla. Adaina microdactyla colour is variable - "usually pale ochreous, sometimes pale brown, rarely yellow or light grey" compared to "pale lemon-yellow" for Euleioptilus carphodactyla (from Colin Hart's British Plume Moths).  Pale lemon-yellow described this well (especially when looking under the microscope), but as microdactyla can rarely be yellow it warranted further work on the keys.  The underside of the forewing was dark brown at the base, becoming paler towards the cleft - that matched carphodactyla and was wrong for microdactyla which should be more uniformly dark.  However there was no sign of the contrast between the costal fringe of the first lobe and the inner fringe, which should be present on carphodactyla (but not microdactyla) - but then again the fringe was pretty much worn away at the tip, so that could be why.

I dissected it fully expecting to confirm it as Citron Plume Euleioptilus carphodactyla but had some trouble.  Apparently I hadn't left it in the acid long enough as it as difficult to see all I needed to and I damaged it in the process.  Nevertheless the large coiled ductus seminalis was plain to see and there was no sign of any forked tips to the apophyses anteriores, which won't mean a thing to you if you don't do dissections, but clearly identifies it as Hemp-agrimony Plume Adaina microdactyla rather than Euleioptilus carphodactyla if you do!  I suppose in hindsight it was pretty small for carphodactyla, but an interesting learning experience.

Hemp-agrimony Plume Adaina microdactyla (female, gen det), North Elmham, 10th August

Next best was a White-speckled Clothes Moth Nemapogon wolffiella.  In 2011-13 I recorded the second, third, fourth and fifth county records of this nationally scarce species, though only one of five records between then and now.  This is a new location, so nice to connect with another one here.

White-speckled Clothes Moth Nemapogon wolffiella, North Elmham, 10th August

A Grey-streaked Smudge Plutella porrectella was only my second ever, but unfortunately made its escape before I could get a photo.  New macros for the year were Oak Hook-tip and White-spotted Pug.

Oak Hook-tip, North Elmham, 10th August

White-spotted Pug, North Elmham, 10th August

Other macros were 2 Pebble Hook-tips, Maiden's Blush, Small Fan-footed Wave, 6 Single-dotted Waves, 7 Riband Waves, 2 Shaded Broad-bars, Dark-barred Twin-spot Carpet, Common Carpet, Lime-speck Pug, Wormwood Pug, 2 Early Thorns, Purple Thorn, Scalloped Oak, 4 Willow Beauties, Elephant Hawkmoth, Pebble Prominent, Lesser Swallow Prominent, 2 Coxcomb Prominents, 3 Yellow-tails, Black Arches, 4 Dingy Footmen, 6 Scarce Footmen, 3 Common Footmen, 2 Ruby Tigers, 2 Shuttle-shaped Darts, 2 Flame Shoulders, 4 Large Yellow Underwings, 8 Lesser Broad-bordered Yellow Underwings, 2 Setaceous Hebrew Characters, 2 Six-striped Rustics, Smoky Wainscot, 2 Straw Underwings, 2 Dun-bars, 3 Dark Arches, 3 Common Rustics, 2 Flounced Rustics, Ear Moth, 2 Uncertains, 2 Nut-tree Tussocks and Straw Dot.

The rest of the micros were Carrion Moth Monopis weaverella, Bird’s-nest Moth Tinea trinotella, 2 Horse Chestnut Leaf-miners Cameraria ohridella, 3 Bird-cherry Ermines Yponomeuta evonymella, Little Dwarf Elachista canapennella, 3 Woundwort Case-bearers Coleophora lineolea, Common Flat-body Agonopterix heracliana, Brown House-moth Hofmannophila pseudospretella, Common Groundling Teleiodes vulgella, 2 Dark Groundlings Bryotropha affinis, Gorse Crest Brachmia blandella, Orange Crest Helcystogramma rufescens, Timothy Tortrix Aphelia paleana, Red-barred Tortrix Ditula angustiorana, 2 Maple Buttons Acleris forsskaleana, 2 Garden Rose Tortrices Acleris variegana, Barred Marble Celypha striana, Holly Tortrix Rhopobota naevana, Marbled Piercer Cydia splendana, 2 Codling Moths Cydia pomonella, Garden Grass-veneer Chrysoteuchia culmella, 22 Pearl Veneers Agriphila straminella, 27 Common Grass-veneers Agriphila tristella, 2 Pearl Grass-veneers Catoptria pinella, Chequered Grass-veneer Catoptria falsella, Little Grey Eudonia lacustrata, 2 Small Greys Eudonia mercurella, Ringed China-mark Parapoynx stratiotata, 2 Garden Pebbles Evergestis forficalis, 3 Chequered Straws Evergestis pallidata, 5 Mother of Pearls Pleuroptya ruralis, 2 Rosy Tabbies Endotricha flammealis and Ash-bark Knot-horn Euzophera pinguis.

Common Groundling Teleiodes vulgella, North Elmham, 10th August

Other goodies in the moth trap included this fine Campyloneura virgula, a new species of bug for me.

Campyloneura virgula, North Elmham, 10th August

I'm pretty sure I've seen this species of Mayfly before though I can't find any I've identified as such, so perhaps not.  I think it's Ephemera vulgata*.  *Edit 2017: no it wasn't - it was Green Drake Ephemera danica.

Ephemera danica, North Elmham, 10th August