Photo © Mike Wall

Bleached Pug

Eupithecia expallidata

Checklist Number
70.180 [B&F: 1833]

Verification
Record will require further evidence, at least a good photograph, unless CMR is aware recorder has confidence in identification

Classification

Family:Geometridae
Subfamily:Larentiinae (Eupetheciini)
Genus:Eupithecia
Species:expallidata
Authority:Doubleday, 1856

Nationally scarce (Nb) in coppiced woodland, woodland rides and clearings, in England and Wales. In Hampshire and on the Isle of Wight there are a few confirmed records from each of the three vice-counties, but never really becoming established. Wingspan 20-24 mm. Can be confused with Wormwood Pug E. absinthiata, but Bleached Pug is paler and greyer with large discal spot on forewing and small discal spot on hindwing. Larva feeds on flowers of Goldenrod, over-wintering as a pupa.

The abundance in each month is indicated as follows:

No records
Very occasional
Irregular
Uncommon
Off-peak, but not unusual
Off-peak, but not unusual
Main flight time
J F M A M J J A S O N D
Adult
Larval

Records by week (adult)

Records by week (larval)

VC10 Isle of Wight

Site Date Quantity Recorder Stage
Brook Down, Compton Down SSSI (SZ38)23/08/1973-Colin C SmithAdult
Compton Down, nr Winchester (SZ38)23/08/1973-Colin C SmithAdult
Shanklin (SZ58)08/08/1976oneFearnehoughAdult
Blackgang (SZ47)1980-Peter J CrampAdult
Godshill (SZ58)1980-Peter J CrampAdult
Freshwater (SZ38)16/07/1995oneSam Knill-JonesAdult
Freshwater (SZ38)21/06/2002oneSam Knill-JonesAdult
Parkhurst Forest (SZ49)25/09/2010oneTim Norriss, Lynn FomisonLarval

VC11 South Hampshire

Site Date Quantity Recorder Stage
Cosham (SU60)1800-M T M RobertsAdult
Havant Thicket (SU71)1800-John R LangmaidLarval
Wickham (SU51)1800-John R LangmaidLarval
Botley Wood (SU50)26/08/1972oneRichard J DicksonAdult
Ampfield Woods (SU42)25/10/1977twoD H SterlingLarval
Ampfield Woods (SU42)25/10/1977twoTony DobsonLarval
Ampfield Woods (SU42)1978-D H Sterling-
Emery Down (SU20)11/08/1979oneJohn ChaineyAdult
West Walk, Wickham (SU61)1985-John ChaineyAdult
West Walk, Wickham (SU61)22/09/1985twoJohn ChaineyLarval
Titchfield Haven NNR (SU50)02/08/1991onePeter M PottsAdult
Bell's Copse, Havant Thicket (SU71)02/10/2007-J R Langmaid, B ElliottLarval
Waterlooville (SU61)17/07/2009oneRichard J MooreAdult
Havant Thicket (SU71)25/09/201025Mark HammondLarval

VC12 North Hampshire

Site Date Quantity Recorder Stage
Alice Holt (SU84)1990oneRothamsted Insect SurveyAdult
Burghclere (SU46)27/08/1990oneG G Eastwick-FieldAdult
Fleet Pond (SU85)13/08/1991oneGraham StephensonAdult
Black Wood, Micheldever (SU54)01/07/2008oneColin Plant, Mike Wall, Tim NorrissAdult