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-Ron ParfittAdult
Compton Down, nr Winchester (SZ38)23/08/1973-Tony DavisAdult
Shanklin (SZ58)08/08/1976oneColin C SmithAdult
Shanklin (SZ58)08/08/1976oneColin C SmithAdult
Blackgang (SZ47)1980-FearnehoughAdult
Godshill (SZ58)1980-FearnehoughAdult
Freshwater (SZ38)16/07/1995onePeter J CrampAdult
Freshwater (SZ38)21/06/2002onePeter J CrampAdult
Parkhurst Forest (SZ49)25/09/2010oneSam Knill-JonesLarval

VC11 South Hampshire

Site Date Quantity Recorder Stage
Cosham (SU60)1800-Sam Knill-JonesAdult
Havant Thicket (SU71)1800-Tim Norriss, Lynn FomisonLarval
Wickham (SU51)1800-M T M RobertsLarval
Botley Wood (SU50)26/08/1972oneJohn R LangmaidAdult
Ampfield Woods (SU42)25/10/1977twoJohn R LangmaidLarval
Ampfield Woods (SU42)25/10/1977twoRichard J DicksonLarval
Ampfield Woods (SU42)1978-D H Sterling-
Emery Down (SU20)11/08/1979oneTony DobsonAdult
Emery Down (SU20)11/08/1979oneD H SterlingAdult
West Walk, Wickham (SU61)1985-John ChaineyAdult
West Walk, Wickham (SU61)22/09/1985twoJohn ChaineyLarval
Titchfield Haven NNR (SU50)02/08/1991oneJohn ChaineyAdult
Bell's Copse, Havant Thicket (SU71)02/10/2007-John ChaineyLarval
Waterlooville (SU61)17/07/2009onePeter M PottsAdult
Havant Thicket (SU71)25/09/201025J R Langmaid, B ElliottLarval

VC12 North Hampshire

Site Date Quantity Recorder Stage
Alice Holt (SU84)1990oneRichard J MooreAdult
Burghclere (SU46)27/08/1990oneMark HammondAdult
Fleet Pond (SU85)13/08/1991oneRothamsted Insect SurveyAdult
Black Wood, Micheldever (SU54)01/07/2008oneG G Eastwick-FieldAdult