Species Account

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Distribution

 
 

Summary Data

Season (Adult / Immature):

National Status: Nb

Local Status: Very rare resident.

Local Record: Grade 4   See here for explanation

Flight time: May-Jun.

Forewing: 6-7mm.

Foodplant: Common Cow-wheat.

IMPORTANT - Please note that the maps and accounts are provisional, subject to change and further update.  The whole dataset still needs to go through the final verification process and it is likely that a very small number of records will not satisfy the present requirements and there are other records that have not been formally submitted.  The information is for guidance only.

Record breakdown:

 VC9Region
Year first recorded19951995
Year last recorded20102010
Number of records1224
Number of individuals84168
Unique positions1122
Unique locations510
Adult records1122
Immature records00

For the region, we have a total of 24 records from 10 sites. Earliest record on file is in 1995.
 

Photos

1814 Lead-coloured Pug 01
© Chris Manley, 15 Jun 2003

Species Account

Similar species: 1813 Eupithecia harworthiata (Haworth's Pug) and 1821 Eupithecia valerianata(Valerian Pug).

For further information refer UK Moths.

Davey, P., 2009: A local species in England and Wales, the larva feeding on the flowers of common cow-wheat (Melampyrum pratense). In Dorset, the moth is rare. So far, it has only been found in the north and north-east of the county within old deciduous woodland, specifically in oak woods where the foodplant carpets rides, such as in Piddles Wood, Chetterwood, Holt Wood, and Boys Wood. Other sites where the foodplant grows include Clifton Wood and Bere Wood. It is recommended that this species be included in habitat management plans for old oak and birch woodland sites that contain cow-wheat.

This species is similar to Haworth's Pug1813 and Valerian Pug1821. Diagnostics include: small; an overall greyish ground colour; no well-marked discal spot or tornal spots; proximity of host foodplant.

 

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